During the visit to Mercabarna delegates saw first-hand how such a huge market operates.<\/p>\n
The fish market opened in 1983. It has an area of 24,000m2 and employs 700 people.<\/p>\n
The annual turnover is 80,000t of seafood products, of which 81% is fresh and 19% is frozen. Fifty-two business operate at 80 sales points at the fish market.<\/p>\n
The majority of the fish sold at the market originates from Barcelona (60%), with 40% imported and 16% coming from Catalonia. The best-selling fish are hake, angler fish, cuttlefish, salmon and anchovy, and the best-selling seafood are mussels, clams, prawns, striped venus clams and king prawns.<\/p>\n
The fish market is visited by 1,500 professional purchasers every day.<\/p>\n
The next visit was to IRTA, a research institute owned by the Government of Catalonia.<\/p>\n
IRTA’s mission is to contribute to modernising, improving, boosting competitiveness, and fostering sustainable development in the sectors of aquaculture, fishing, agriculture, food and agroforestry.<\/p>\n
Within the aquaculture sector, IRTA is involved in research projects in the areas of Aquatic Cultures and Marine Environmental Monitoring.<\/p>\n
Delegates were given a tour of the facility and the opportunity to take a look at some of the research being undertaken by IRTA. A highlight was to see the institute\u2019s recirculation system, IRTAmarTM, which it offers as a model for aquaculture research.<\/p>\n
IRTAmarTM is a multifunctional and automated recirculation and water treatment system for use in aquaculture research, production and aquariums. It is used for the cultivation of fish, crustaceans and bivalves in all stages – larvae, alevins and broodstock.<\/p>\n
Accredited by more than 10 years of research and technological improvements at IRTA, monitoring includes: control and recording of parameters such as flow-rate, oxygen level, temperature, salinity, pH, diet, photoperiod, and RedOx potential.<\/p>\n
Specific areas of research at IRTA include nutrition of fish crustaceans and molluscs; aquatic animal health; cultivation techniques for species of interest and new aquaculture species; and recirculation aquaculture systems. It was fascinating for delegates to see some of these projects up close.<\/p>\n