The Regulatory Body of Mackerel and Frigate Tuna from Andalusia is immersed in new projects such as internationalization and the launching of new ready-to-eat products adapted to the consumer. These are some of the action lines that the Secretary General of the regulatory body, Manuel Becerra, explained to SeafoodSource, after a presentation at the held on Day 2 of Seafood Barcelona.
The difference between frigate mackerel from Andalusia, (ScomberJaponicus and ScomberColias), and mackerel, (Scomber scombrius), usually caught by the Spanish fleet and for which Spain is currently sanctioned by the EU as a result of overfishing. Notably, canned mackerel and frigate tuna from Andalusia have the European qualification of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).
A total of four companies and ten brands work under the protection of the regulatory body for PGI for mackerel and frigate tuna from Andalusia.
Becerra told to SeafoodSource “around 80 percent of the total production is national and 20 percent exports.” Currently, they are immersed in the internationalization of their products.
“Exports to Italy are doing great, where their companies even launch house brands.” He added that they are trying to enter the market in the U.S. and France and are also working on the new products including a version of unseasoned mackerel for foreign trade.
“Actually, the regulatory body has saved the traditional canning in the south of Spain,” Becerra said. In his presentation, Becerra said the best characteristic of these PGI products is that they have retained traditional production, meaning they use with no chemical products, food additives nor preservatives throughout the entire process.
The regulatory body is also striving to introduce its products directly to consumers using campaigns in school as well as communicative campaigns focusing on product consumption.
