Fishery Sub-delegation in Baja California will initiate an inspection to the Mexican tuna farms in order to verify that the licenses granted are still effective and what investments are currently being developed, informed Luis Alonso Tiznado, head of the department.
According to Mr. Tiznado, a total of eleven concessions were granted to Mexican tuna fattening farms. One of the first was approved in 1994 to the tuna company NAIR, currently Rancho Marino Guadalupe. This farm is still active and is processing Bluefin, Yellowfin, and Bigeye tuna.
Another license was granted in 1998 to the company Maricultura del Norte that produces Bluefin, Yellowfin and Skipjack tuna.
A concession was also granted in the year 2000 to Baja Acua Farms, which is exclusively dedicated to the fattening of Bluefin tuna, and so is the farm Acuacultura of Baja California, which obtained its authorization in 2002, same year as Operadora Pesqueral de Oriente, which is fattening Bluefin and Yellowfin tuna.
The tuna-fattening farm with most species is DuarcuÃola, which not only has Bluefin and Yellowfin tuna, but also Albacore, Bigeye and Skipjack, operating under a license obtain in 2002.
The Fishery department will inspect several other companies, also in possession of licenses, to review and verify the investments, such as Tokaido with license since 2001, Intermarketing of Mexico authorized in 2002, as well as Frescatun and Rancho Marino Guadalupe both in that same year and Organización Pesquera Internacional which holds a promotion permit for Bluefin and Yellowfin tuna.
The Fishery department official indicated that according to the compelling Fishing Regulation, the licenses have a series of obligations that will be reviewed by inspectors of CONAPESCA. The regulation states that, in case of breach, a procedure will be started against the company to revoke or cancel the license.