A total of 128,000 tons have been caught by the Mexican tuna fleet during last year, according to the final figures released by the Tuna Exploitation and Dolphin Safe National Program in Mexico and as informed by the President of the Fishing Chamber at Baja California, Mr. Andres Armenta Gonzalez. These figures reveal that catches dropped by 29.6 percent compared to those in 2003; that is 54,285 tons less than in 2003, when the historical figure of 183,199 tons of tuna were caught, compelling Mexico to import tuna from other nations to cover their domestic demand.
These catches were realized in 358 trips done during 2004 by a fleet consisting of a total of 58 vessels; 26 of which boast a catching capacity of more than 1,000 tons. According to experts, the low catch volume in 2004 was due, at least during the first months of the year, to the weather changes that forced fish shoals away from the coast and to the shortage of sardine and mackerel, two of its main feedings.
For a second consecutive year, the tuna vessel “Maria Luisa†which belongs to Groupmar, obtained the first place by catching a total of 5,057 tons, followed by the vessel “Bonnie†which caught 5,016 tons. Third place was for the “Azteca 10â€.
Baja California had a minimum number of catches since the most of the tuna landings took place in Sinaloa, Colima and South Baja California, where most of the main Mexican canning plants are located.
The lower landings also had a positive effect on the Mexican fleet, as they allowed obtaining higher prices for the catches due to the lower supply.
In 2004, there was a continued noticeable increase of tuna consumption in Mexico. Consumption figures went up from 120,000 tons in 2002 to 145,000 tons in 2004. This not only caused the need to import tuna, but also the necessity to reduce import duties on tuna to create more product accessibility for Mexican consumers.
Nevertheless, while yellowfin captures for the canning industries dropped considerably in 2004, the bluefin tuna production at the tuna farms in Baja California went up from 2,000 tons in 2003 to 5,000 tons last year.