Turbot
Turbot (Psetta maxima)
En - Turbot, Fr - Turbot, Es - Rodaballo
Turbot aquaculture commenced in the 1970s in Scotland (UK). It was subsequently introduced to France and to Spain. At first, the number of installations in Spain was rather limited due to the scarcity of juveniles. The technological development of juvenile production changes this. At the beginning of the 1990s, there were already 16 producers in Spain. A significant crisis in turbot culture occurred in 1992; there was an increase of 52 percent in production but the industry lacked a consolidated commercial marketing network. Another factor that contributed to this crisis was that the farms were small and had very high production costs. This crisis caused the closure of some farms. From that moment onwards a reorganization of the sector began, which gave rise to a growth both in production and in the number of countries where turbot is farmed. Spain, with its highly suitable oceanographic conditions, is now the major producer worldwide but turbot is also currently farmed in Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Wales (UK), and Portugal, and was previously reared in the Netherlands. The natural distribution of the turbot includes coastal waters of all these countries. Turbot has also been introduced to other regions (notably Chile in the late 1980s) and, more recently, China.
Besides commercial investment in improved facilities or the construction of new farms, other decisive factors have assisted in the consolidation and development of the sector. These have included the production of dry feeds and the development of vaccines for the most important diseases affecting turbot.
Market & Trade
Most farmed turbot is currently consumed in the producing countries. In Spain, about 75 percent of production is consumed internally; the rest is exported to France, Italy and Germany. The product is generally sold fresh and whole, though in France a small proportion of the production is sold gutted. The European turbot market has no specific regulations, and there are no limits on trade within EU countries, no minimum sizes, and no withdrawal price.
Status & Trends
Turbot aquaculture can currently be considered a mature technology. It seems likely that the industry will see marked expansion in the future, with the construction of new rearing units and augmentation of the capacity of existing farms. Nevertheless, continued research and development effort is required in the following areas:
- Fry production, with the aim of increasing larval survival rates.
- Improved culture systems and automation.
- Disease prevention and control.
- Stock monitoring and genetic improvement.
- Improved marketing, with the consolidation of existing markets and development of new markets; Avenues for processing need to be explored.
- Training for technical personnel with combined skills in aquaculture technology and business management.
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