The Costa Rican Tuna Industry Chamber warned about the possibility that the government will publish a decree that would extend the ban zone for the purse tuna fishery to a distance of between 100 and 150 miles from the Pacific coast.
According to the sector's union, this decree, which is in the drafting stage, would put at risk the fulfillment of the export commitments of canned fish to the world's main markets.
The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission has announced that the response to the request to increase the tonnage of fishing in the Eastern Pacific will be given in October.
Noting a lack of sufficient information and studies to determine more clearly the potential impact of increasing the quota, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) said it will postpone the decision until October.
Despite being a major producer of canned tuna in Europe, Italians import 87,000 tonnes a year in order to meet domestic demand.
From an article by the Costa Rican Foreign Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
Italy consumes a significant amount of tuna, in canned form and yellow fin and bluefin tuna, which is equivalent to about 141,000 tons per year, 2.3 kg per capita, valued at $1.47 billion. It is also the second largest producer of canned tuna in Europe, after Spain, with a production of 68,000 tonnes per year. However, it is evident that there is a need for tuna imports, of about 87,000 tons to meet domestic demand.
A total of 18 tuna brands are competing in a market that seven years ago was totally dominated by Sardimar.
One example of the growth that has been seen in brands in this market is Grupo Calvo, who has had a steady increase in sales; 11% in 2010, 71% in 2011, 32% in 2012 and a projected 19% for 2013 .
Countries such as the Netherlands import 98% of their canned tuna in different varieties, including in water, in olive oil, in sunflower oil, and with hot sauce, among other varieties.
From an article by the Costa Rican Trade Promotion Office (PROCOMER):
98.5% of the tuna that is imported from Holland is of the canned variety and in comes different formats, in water, in olive oil, in sunflower oil, and with hot sauce, among other varieties. In regards to re-exports, on average about 70% of the tuna entering the Netherlands is re-exported, with Germany being the main destination.
90% of the tuna catch made in Costa Rican waters is unloaded in other countries, mainly Ecuador.
So says the executive director of the Costa Rican Fisheries Federation (Fecop), Enrique Ramirez. Meanwhile, local fishermen are having a tough time due to declining marine resources.
Data has been obtained from the first "Analysis of the Tuna Fishery in the Pacific Exclusive Economic Zone of Costa Rica", which was developed with data from 2002 to 2011 by the American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).
Ospesca is the fishing division of the Central American Intgration System. According to their data, over 100.000 households depend on fishing for their daily income. 25% of these are small fishermen.
Sardimar and Calvo Group are involved in a dispute over tariffs generated by the implementation of the multilateral treaty imposed by the US-Central America Treaty.
The Spanish-owned Calvo Group has a tuna processing plant in El Salvador from which it exports to Costa Rica - among other places - having paid the country a customs duty of 15% until January 2009, and afterwards taking advantage of CAFTA benefits by not paying the tariff for tuna in oil and paying 2.2% for tuna in water. This will obviously hurt the local sales of Costa Rican-owned Sardimar, which is protesting, stating that the situation violates the provisions of the General Treaty of Central American Integration since Calvo Group operates in a free trade zone in El Salvador and is exempt from most national and municipal taxes and Sardimar considers this a subsidy in disguise.
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