First-sale prices of Atlantic bluefin tuna fell at certain European auctions this year in line with the increased volume caught by the EU fleet.
The Atlantic bluefin tuna fishing season in the western and central Mediterranean Sea and in the Adriatic Sea was open from 26 May to 24 June 2016 for purse-seiners, though most European vessels had fished their quotas by early June. This was despite the quota being 20 percent higher than a year ago, with 12,813 metric tons (MT) shared by eight EU member states.
Spain, France and Italy, with 85 percent of the bloc’s quota gained the most from this increase.
While the EU is a net exporter of bluefin, with its export value increasing from less than EUR 100 million (USD 110 million) in 2010 and 2011 to EUR 150 million (USD 164.9 million) in 2015, involving more than 10,000 MT of fish in both 2014 and 2015, domestic sales and consumption are also increasing, according to the European Market Observatory for Fisheries and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA).
In Spain, sales of fresh Atlantic bluefin tuna through the auctions in Andalucia increased almost 10 times during May and June – from 20 MT in 2015 to more than 180 MT this year – with the average price of the period falling 20 percent from EUR 9.90 (USD 10.98) to EUR 7.95 (USD 8.74) per kg.
Similarly, from mid-May through June 2016, Mercabarna, the wholesale market in Barcelona, doubled its sales of fresh tuna originating in the coastal regions of Mediterranean Spain compared to 2015, achieving a volume of approximately 75 MT. This was five times higher than during the 2014 season.
In France, prices for fresh bluefin sold through the auctions of Le Grau de Roi and Port La Nouvelle, also registered a decline. For fresh volumes, which increased three-fold for both auctions combined, the price declined 10 percent from EUR 14.42 (USD 15.85) per kg in 2015 to EUR 12.91 (USD 14.19) in the current season.
As a result of pressure from non-governmental organizations, a substantial number of large-scale retailers and restaurants in many EU member states have delisted Atlantic bluefin tuna. However, it can still be found in several retailers, commonly as steaks, and in restaurants presented raw, in carpaccio, sushi or sashimi.
The main exporters of Atlantic bluefin from the EU are Spain, Malta and Croatia, which together accounted for more than 95 percent of the total volume exported last year.
Japan far exceeds any other country in export volume from the EU, accounting for almost 90 percent of its total bluefin exports in 2015.
