Demand in Europe for sustainably farmed South Australian Kingfish and Southern Bluefin Tuna is growing strongly, according to top French chefs.
Henri Charvet – the President of Euro-Toques France and a Michelin starred chef – says international recognition of the increasing fragility of wild-catch seafood stocks means the hospitality industry and retailers will need to find alternative sustainable sources of supply to satisfy demand.
“Australia – and South Australia particularly – has been seen as a clean and reliable supplier of premium quality seafood products for some time,” Charvet said while visiting South Australia this week.
“The emergence of a reliable and significant source of high quality propagated fish, grown independently of wild catch in the clean waters of the Spencer Gulf at the same time as Northern Hemisphere fish stocks are declining, will make your seafood even more attractive in European markets.”
Charvet said Clean Seas propagated kingfish was already earning a strong following in Europe, with the company’s anticipated commercialisation of the highly-prized Southern Bluefin Tuna likely to also be a sure winner in European markets – particularly in the face of declining wild stocks of Northern Bluefin.
Substantial quota cuts for Northern Bluefin Tuna in the Mediterranean are being recommended by an increasing number of European Union countries, with some countries recommending total closure of the fishery to enable stocks to recover.
Last month, the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna agreed to a net 20 per cent cut in worldwide wild catch quota for the species over 2010 and 2011. Australia’s share of the worldwide quota will be reduced from 5,265 tonnes to 4,015 tonnes (a decrease of 23.4 per cent).
Clean Seas Tuna Limited has been breeding Yellowtail Kingfish for commercial production for several years and over the next few months will commence a commercial propagation and grow-out program for Southern Bluefin Tuna after becoming the first organisation in the world to close the life-cycle of SBT in April this year.
Clean Seas Tuna was the first company to acquire Euro-Toques' endorsement outside of Europe and carry its distinctive logo on their products.
Euro-Toques is an association of 4,000 European chefs who are committed to quality ingredients, sustainability and culinary excellence. The association conducts and takes part in a number of international trade events.
With the help of the South Australian Government, the organisation is spending some time on a fact finding mission in SA .
“The European Union represents the largest single aquaculture import destination in the world - worth more than A$40 billion per year,” said Clean Seas CEO, Clifford Ashby.
About 60 per cent of Clean Seas’ kingfish is currently sold overseas with markets including Italy, Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Eastern Europe as well as South East Asia and the United States.
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