Source: ABC
An international milestone was achieved by the Researchers at the Oceanographic Center of Murcia last week. The research team, belonging to the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), obtained about 20,000 larvae of bluefin tuna naturally from 30 adult specimens bred in captivity and without hormonal induction, said project coordinator Fernando de la Gandana.
The larvae, which have already exceeded the 20 days of life and reached two grams in weight, will be thrown into the sea in the coming days, according to Gandana.
“Murcia has become the benchmark of the Mediterranean in this type of research,†as the only European region to achieve the resource reproduction and egg laying, said the Spanish Minister of Agriculture and Water, Antonio Cerda.
The exploitation of bluefin tuna “has been linked to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea,†he added after visiting the facilities of the Experimental Plant of Marine Cultures from the Oceanographic Center of Murcia, together with Alice Villauriz, general secretary of Marine Affairs of the Ministry of Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs (MARM).
This research is part of the work performed following the signing of a cooperation agreement for the development of the project ‘Larval rearing and bluefin tuna farming,’ by the Government of the Region of Murcia from the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) and Cajamurcia financial institutions, Caja Mediterráneo, Cajamar and La Caixa, and Ricardo Fuentes Group.
In 2009 and 2010 this stage of development was also reached and larvae that survived after 73 and 110 days, respectively, were achieved.
Villauriz, meanwhile, stressed the fact that this project offers “great interest for Spain.â€
On the other hand, this tuna fishing situation forced authorities to restrict its capture and to regulate its fishing in the Mediterranean by means of annual taxes.
In 1999 fishing 32,000 tons was authorized and in 2010, only 13,500 tons was allowed.