He octopus It is the species on which the majors have bet the most Galician fishing in recent years, with inorganic growth operations (Profand and Sofinas in Morocco) or alliances signed with Mauritanian partners (Pescapuerta, Iberconsa or Pereira). Its very high demand and profitability, in addition, have caused a exodus of Spanish ships to a good part of the north african coast, with exported units such as Monte Víos, Portomayor, Playa de Loureiro or Nuevo Santa María. It is the king of the cephalopods and has, at the moment, no aquaculture replacement.
It was a research project of the centers of Vigo and Tenerife of the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), the first to reproduce the octopus in captivity worldwide, whose patent he assumed New Pescanova to take advantage of the market pull. The Chapela multinational projected a macrofarm to achieve industrial levels of production, and analyzed the coast of Galicia to carry out its construction. This is stated in the Environmental Impact Report issued by the Government of the Canary Islandsa community where the company has found a location for this plant.
Specifically, Pescanova evaluated four locations: on the Galician coast – the document does not specify the area or province –, El Saladero (Tenerife), Castillo del Romeral (Gran Canaria) and the port of Las Palmas. Finally, the latter is the chosen location, in the La Esfinge dock and on a plot of almost 52,700 square meters. The group’s aquaculture activity in Galicia is reduced to turbot fish farm in Xovewhose fry are obtained in the facilities of Mougas (Oia). Under the presidency of Manuel Fernández de Sousa, Pescanova SA (old Pescanova, predecessor of the current company) promoted a gigantic fattening farm in Cabo Touriñán, which had been validated by the Government of Manuel Fraga in office. With the paralysis of the project by the bipartite as it was projected in Rede Natura, Sousa took it to the Portuguese city of Mira. Today, in other hands, it is called Flatlantic.
According to official documentation, the surface area occupied by The plant will be around 31,000 square meters and will entail an investment of 51 million euros. It is true that Nueva Pescanova hoped to have started the production phase already in 2023 – this was stated in its strategic plan Heading to Value 2020-2024 – but the action continues on standby two years after starting the procedures with the island executive. In statements to the local portal Canarias7, a spokesperson for the fishing company pointed out on September 30 that “the plans to build a farm in the Canary Islands continue their course and all steps are being taken to proceed with their achievement.” The construction works, in any case, are projected to last 30 months. Not only to raise the building with breeding and fattening tanks –with a warehouse, ice plant, loading docks or offices–, but also for all the equipment that will allow ttake sea water and return it after purification. It foresees outfalls at a depth of -16 meters that will go 260 meters out to sea.
The product
The objective is to achieve a annual production of 2,400 tons, threshold that would be achieved in the fifth year of its implementation. For each cubic meter of water in the tanks, Nueva Pescanova estimates have three specimens of octopus for fattening. For a juvenile weighing one kilogram to reach the optimal size for marketing, about 3 kilos, it will take between 8 and 15 months. It is a period much shorter than that of turbot, for example (900 days to reach 2.3 kilos), or that of salar salmon (up to 18 months). The vannamei shrimp, for its part, can reach an ideal size for sale in five months in an intensive production tank. In the case of the octopus, its breeding for human consumption has generated abundant controversy – multiple groups call it “cruel” – as they are carnivorous animals. Brussels has recommended, in this sense, the breeding of “trophic species that do not require animal nutrition.”
To begin with, the reproductive octopuses will come from Galiciafrom the Nueva Pescanova Biomarine Center facilities (O Grove). Later the canary plant will be self-sufficient and will concentrate the entire breeding cycle. “The product will initially be distributed clean and frozen,” the report shares. In a second phase, the development of new value-added products that require greater industrial complexity will be studied.” Now, and although the company officially maintains that the plans for this factory remain on the table, the current situation at Nueva Pescanova is not favorable to its execution. At least in the short term. Once the sale to the Canadian Cooke Inc. was aborted, as Faro de Vigo, of the Prensa Ibérica group, advanced, the group’s ownership (Abanca) has decided to propose a new strategic plan and execute it alone. Sources close to the company have pointed out that it is still in a very initial phase, so they have not been able to determine if this new plan (it will be the third since Nueva Pescanova SL existed, in 2015) will also be extended for four years. .
>Budget
The construction work is budgeted at almost 51 million euros, and includes the warehouses for the cephalopod breeding and fattening tanks and the underwater outfalls.
>Production
The objective is to reach 2,400 tons per year in the fifth year of the plant’s start-up. There will be three octopuses per cubic meter in the fattening tanks. The size for commercial use will be three kilograms, the group estimates. H The reproductive octopuses will initially come from Galicia, from Nueva Pescanova Biomarine Center (O Grove). The Canarian plant will then be self-sufficient.
