Submersible aquaculture facilities to be tested in Spanish waters

Two new submersible aquaculture facilities are set to be installed off the coast of Getaria in northern Spain's Basque region as part of a pilot project to revitalise the bluefin tuna fishery in the Cantabrian Sea, the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) has confirmed.

The initiative plans to catch live bluefin tuna using purse seine gear in collaboration with the Basque fishing fleet. Subsequently, the catches will be fattened to assess their economic and environmental viability.

"The main challenge will be to determine whether it is viable to use purse seine gear for bluefin tuna fishing in the Bay of Biscay," said Juan José Navarro, assistant director of Balfegó, a company specialising in catching, feeding, studying and marketing bluefin tuna. "If this is achieved, and subsequently, the fattening in cages is successful, this project could have a very positive impact on the Basque economy and society, making it possible to revalue fishing quotas, improve the quality of the product and optimize fisheries management."

The GSA said that fishing for bluefin tuna in the Cantabrian Sea has become less profitable for local fishermen due to the small size of the catch and challenging weather conditions that complicate traditional fishing methods. As a result, many Basque fishermen have started transferring their fishing quotas to other regions of Spain.

To address this issue and help restore bluefin tuna fishing in the area, two underwater aquaculture facilities will be set up off the port of Getaria in Gipuzkoa. These facilities will be tested next summer and, if successful, more aquaculture cages will be installed starting the following year, depending on the fishing quotas available for fattening.

Before tuna fishing starts in the summer of 2025, the cages will be tested this autumn and winter to ensure they can float properly, stay submerged, and withstand the harsh weather conditions of the Bay of Biscay.