Ecuador reduced tuna catches by 43%

Ecuadornews:

Data from the IATTC indicate that in January of this year the fishing of the resource reached 11,020 tons. United States is the main destination of the product.

The tuna sector started the year with lower catches in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). Data from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (CIAT) indicate that last January the region caught 23,071 tons (t) of tuna, which implied a 35% reduction compared to the same period of 2017 (35,527 t).

While at the country level, the Ecuadorian fleet captured 11,020 tons of tuna, which according to the figures of the IATTC, means a decrease of 43% compared to the volumes landed in January 2017 (19,232 t).

After this, the National Chamber of Fisheries (CNP) mentioned that catches of skipjack and bigeye tuna registered a year-on-year reduction of 52% and 58%, respectively, while those of yellowfin tuna remained at a similar level.

“These results make January 2018 the lowest month in catches of the 2015-2018 period,” the CNP said in a statement.

The fishing guild of the country stressed that the decrease in catches are recorded from the second half of 2017. This was marked by a colder oceanographic event, known as ‘La Niña’.

Franklin Ormaza, scientific advisor to the CNP, explained that pelagic species move in search of adequate oceanographic conditions; while the FAD (Fish Aggregation Devices) do not move according to these.

In addition it says that the currents derive them to places, sometimes, inaccessible for fishing.

USA is the main destination of tuna exports

Based on data from the Central Bank of Ecuador (ECB), the Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries reported that fish and aquaculture exports reached $ 373.4 million last January.

He indicated that the United States is the main destination for Ecuadorian exports of tuna and fish. He added that 14.5% of the foreign currency for shipments of canned fish came from Colombia.

He noted that external sales of shrimp, tuna, fish and others are equivalent to 36.4% of non-oil exports ($ 1,035 million in January).

Data

Exports increase

Data from the Central Bank of Ecuador (ECB), published by the Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries, indicate that exports of tuna and fish from the country represented revenues of around $ 31.5 million in January.

14 percent of the foreign currency generated by shipments of canned fish came from Colombia.

Shrimp sales grow Crustacean exports reached $ 239 million in January. Within non-oil exports, including traditional and non-traditional exports, the sector’s sales represented 23.3%. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/economia/4/ecuador-redujo-capturas-atun