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According to
National Aquaculture and Fishery Commission (Conapesca)
official Jerónimo Ramos, by 2010 the demand for Mexican fish
products will have increased by 15 million tonnes and will
continue to rise by a further five million tonnes during the
following five to 10 years. He told the First Regional Forum
on Fishery and Agro-feeding Sector Projections that
aquaculture needs to expand rapidly to meet this demand and
benefit from potential earnings of almost USD 120 million.
Fisheries director Luz del
Carmen Martínez told Ensenada.net that bluefin tuna
fattening in sea cages has become one of the most important
alternatives for Mexican aquaculture, but this system is
still only practised along the coasts of Baja California.
Apart from expanding tuna
aquaculture to boost output, the sector needs to overcome
other obstacles to gain wider acceptance of its products at
home and abroad.
During his presentation
"Export Potential of Fishery and Aquaculture: Challenges and
Opportunities" Ramos said the authorities should negotiate
with the US and the
European
Union (EU) for Mexican tuna to carry the International
Dolphin Conservation Programme label. With "dolphin
friendly" designation tuna exports could potentially rise by
USD 50 million.
Ramos told the forum that if
producers took into account the domestic market as well as
focussing on the international market, "Mexican fish exports
would grow between USD 300 and 400 million," writes El
Debate.
He stressed the need to
develop domestic demand for products that Mexico is selling
to overseas markets - such as tilapia, shrimp and tuna - and
highlighted tilapia, abalone, octopus, squid, shrimp and
bluefin tuna farming as short-term production options.
By Patricia Loru
FIS Latino
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