The search for products with an added value for the consumer through differentiation has stimulated Spanish aquaculture companies including Isidro de la Cal to investigate new species such as blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo), which the company began farming 15 years ago.
Now, the company is the only one in the world commercializing this species. Far from stopping there, the Galician firm has been immersed in the development of other lesser-known species, such as the wreckfish (Polyprion americanus).
Spain produces a major volume of seafood via aquaculture, with 264,162 metric tons in 2012 — 21 percent of the total produced in the EU. Spain is known for research and development of species like the purple sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus), the octopus (Octopus vulgaris), the wreckfish and the abalone (Haliotis) or the blackspot seabream, where Spain is also a pioneer in its commercialization.
Miguel Cabado, who is in charge of marketing of Isidro de la Cal, explained to SeafoodSource that his company began development of the blackspot seabream 15 years ago after seeing an opportunity in the market “due to the great overexploitation that was taking place at the end of the 1990s, with the corresponding difficulty to supply the market." Cabado also said the company was seeking "differentiation, to look for lines of business with added value." Today, they have an annual production of blackspot seabream of near 200 metric tons (MT).
Among the challenges they met in the beginning, Cabado pointed out the cost of development is higher compared with other species, due to "the blackspot seabream is a product that takes its time in growing, in comparison with other products with more sales as sea bream, the sea bass or the trout, depending on the range of weight." Where other species take approximately one year since beginning the cycle until it is possible to commercialize, the bream takes three and a half years. Also, he indicated the difficulties they found in getting the species to put on weight and the continuous investigation and improvement of the organoleptic qualities. The latter is something the company is very proud because, according to Cabado, there is very little organoleptic difference between a wild blackspot seabream and an aquaculture one.
As to whether they plan to increase their production regarding their results till now, he said that “It will be necessary to see how the economic environment is developing, it seems that we are starting to go out of this (national economic) crisis and if this is so we will be able to value that option.”
It appears that this company has not stopped developing new products. Cabado explained they are already working in the development of other species such as the wreckfish, a more ambitious product in terms of market.
