The Minister of Agriculture and all things Marine, Assunção Cristas, today challenged more Algarve companies to invest in the production of tuna aquaculture - in partnership with the Japanese.
"We have here an extraordinary opportunity to intensify work in this area and meet the challenge of producing tuna in Portugal," said Cristas, who is keen to promote a partnership between the Universities of the Algarve and Kinki in Japan.
The minister was speaking to reporters aboard a tuna fishing boat to ensure some good photo opportunities. She watched as farmed tuna were fed in large cages moored off Fuseta, captured as they swam on their migratory route and held in cages.
The tuna are fed, fattened and sent to Japan by air with the Bluefin tuna attracting the highest prices.
Cristas said she already had spoken to the dean of the University of the Algarve on the possibility of a partnership with a Japanese institution that would involve the Portuguese Institute of Ocean and Atmosphere (IPMA) and local company, Tunipex.
The Secretary of State for Tourism, Adolfo Mesquita Nunes, also was in the Algarve on a fun day out at Zoomarine, Albufeira which is celebrating its 23rd anniversary.
During the official visit, Nunes had the opportunity to look at projects undertaken on behalf of environmental education, and the conservation of nature.
The Zoomarine boss Pedro Lavia showed him around and tagging along was Algarve Tourist Board boss Desiderio Silva, the mayor of Albufeira Carlos Silva e Sousa, and the Vice President of CCDR-Algarve Adriano Guerreiro.
_________
For radioactive tuna news, see. http://topinfopost.com/2013/10/10/fukushima-is-here-all-bluefin-tuna-caught-in-california-are-radioactive
