BY EU STUDIO

Updated Thursday, July 21, 2022-11:26

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If you're wondering why you eat so much seafood at Christmas, but not at other times of the year, here's the answer: consistency.

Maritime

closures

mean that fish is available at certain times and not at others, but they are

essential to preserve the correct balance of marine ecosystems

.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food defines them as "the obligation for fishing vessels to stop fishing in a certain area for a certain minimum period, in order to protect marine species."

Spanish aquaculture complements responsible extractive fishing and offers a quality product, at an affordable price, so that it reaches the whole world

So when is it closed?

Specifically, it is launched in two cases: if there are temporary groups of

threatened species

when the fish are in

the spawning period

, which is how the breeding period is known;

or before those specimens that are

below the minimum reference size

, always thinking about their conservation.

They can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months, during which responsible harvesting stops entirely for wild populations to rebuild.

At the moment, the offer of certain aquatic products is diminished by a greater purpose.

Does this mean that, in these times of variable duration, there are fish that disappear from the supermarket shelves or from the fishmonger's counter?

Such would be the case if it were not for

the fact that Spanish aquaculture supplies that need

.

Aquaculture facilities offer quality fish at any time of the year, allowing the seas and rivers to recover.

Wild populations are increasing and the sustainability of the aquatic environment is guaranteed, thanks to this activity model that is complementary to traditional fishing.

The winter tuna

Bluefin tuna is fished mostly between April and June

, with tuna traps, longlines and purse-seine boats, but the rest of the year its catches are much smaller.

Why?

Well, because most of the gear dedicated to bluefin tuna fishing stops its activity and only minor gear continues with it.

Thus, the bans seek to protect this species at that time of year when it crosses the Atlantic, towards the Mediterranean, to start reproducing at the end of spring.

From summer to winter

, therefore,

the life cycle of the animal is allowed to continue

, so that the fry grow and mature sexually, giving birth to new specimens.

This is supported not only by the closures, but also by the minimum sizes, which in tuna are set at 30kgs.

Does this mean that markets and restaurants run out of tuna for the rest of the year?

Actually, they don't, but it's thanks to aquaculture.

Tuna catches are drastically reduced from July to April to allow the animals to mature and carry out their migrations: that is the closed season

Spanish

aquaculture fish

, in addition to complementing responsible extractive fishing, is

accessible to all pockets

.

They are not antagonistic worlds, but rather two sides of the same coin.

Both models have a common goal: to put a much-needed protein with multiple nutritional benefits

on everyone's plate

.

According to the European Food Safety Authority, fish has beneficial health effects and contributes to the intake of essential nutrients.

It provides iodine, selenium, calcium and vitamins A and D, as well as fatty acids such as omega-3, which is a dietary component associated with health.

Not surprisingly, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), states in its latest world report on fisheries and aquaculture that

aquaculture is an essential activity in the food scheme of the entire planet, "with great potential to feed the world's growing population"

.

Made by UE Studio

This text has been developed by UE Studio, a creative branded content and content marketing firm from Unidad Editorial, for ACUICULTURA DE ESPAÑA.

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