Excellent Albacore Season For Spanish Fishermen

Basque coastal fishers have caught 7,100 tons of Bonito del Norte (northern albacore) since the fishing season began at the end of May, according to data from the Basque government’s fisheries department. The small-scale boats landed the tuna in the ports close to the fishing grounds, so around 6,000 tons were landed in Basque ports. The average first-sale price was around EUR 3,900 per ton, up EUR 120 from last year.

Spain has a 26,000-ton quota for albacore this year, of which 47 percent has been caught so far. With more than half of the catch possibilities remaining, the fisheries will be able to complete this year’s campaign without exceeding the quotas. How different that was for the same vessels fishing for mackerel earlier this year. They only managed to rope in 35 percent of their limit, because the ocean water near the coast was warmer than normal. The Basque government will compensate each line fisher with EUR 800 each.