Italian investors are considering building a yellowfin tuna processing plant in Ensenada, in the state of Baja California. In the meantime, stakeholders that are involved in fattening of bluefin tuna in Ensenada evaluate the possibility of building a plant specialized in the “glazing†freezing process.
The Italian investors intend to set up a plant for the processing of yellowfin tuna loins caught using simple pole & line fishing, according to Jorge Covarruvias, Ensenada Fisheries’ under-delegate. This technique is considered more environmentally friendly, as it is not carried out in fish schools which travel with dolphins, and prove to be ideal for supplying the European market, which demands organic products and species caught through environmentally friendly methods.
According to Luz del Carmen MartÃnez, Fisheries’ director for the state of Baja California, this will allow for “the recovery of part of an unused infrastructure which, although in some cases has obsolete technology, in other cases there are new plants operating with low production volume, are closed, or can be restored.â€
The new plant is expected to begin operation at the end of this year, and would be ready for processing only around 6,000 tons of tuna yearly. The plant would produce fresh, frozen, and cooked tuna loins, this last being one of the most sought after products by European market.