Produits de la mer - n°171 - avril 2017 - 96

Special feature ❘ MACKEREL

L.F.

***

Débarque de maquereaux pêchés à la bolinche à Concarneau.
***

jetties en 2019 à des droits de douane.
Dans ce contexte, toute nouvelle positive
est bonne à prendre. La hausse des quotas en est une ! « Une étude pour vérifier le
stade de fécondité des maquereaux est réalisée tous les trois ans. La dernière date de 2016
et les résultats ont été bons. Les stocks de
maquereaux sont en bonne santé et pêchés
de manière cohérente avec les préconisations
scientifiques », souligne Thierry Mainsard,
gérant de la société Transfopêche, grossiste boulonnais dont le chiffre d'affaires
avoisine les 3 millions d'euros.
Dans le détail, les navires de l'Union
vont bénéficier d'un Tac de 503 245 tonnes
en 2017, à répartir entre ses différents
membres, sur un total 1 020 996 tonnes.
« Le quota irlandais pour 2017 est de 86 426
tonnes, contre 75 837 tonnes en 2016 »,
signale Finnian O'Luasa, directeur européen produits de la mer chez Bord Bia. Un
chiffre à comparer avec les 229 821 tonnes
des Norvégiens et les 128 655 tonnes des
Îles Féroé. ■

86,426
tons
The TAC of the main
mackerel supplier of
France: Ireland.

Source : European observatory
of market - 2016.

France imports yearly a little less than
15,000 tons of mackerel, fresh or chilled
of which nearly 8,000 tons comes from
Ireland, 3,500 tons from the United
Kingdom and 2,000 from Spain. As for the
9,300 tons of frozen fish imported, Ireland
is the leading supplier of France, followed
by the Faroe Islands with 2,900 tons.
Smoked mackerel comes from all parts of
the world, but wherever it comes from, the
tonnage is low: around 400 tons. "A source
of excellent protein which remains cheap,"
according to Pierre Commère, general
delegate of the fish industry within the
ADEPALE, Association of Food Producers,
mackerel is a key species on a global
level as its trade is under the influence
of geopolitics. For example, the removal
of the Russian embargo could trigger an
increase in demand similar to a game of
musical chairs played by the major sup-

pliers. Depending on the markets into
which it is exported, presentation differs.
The whole frozen fish, including the head,
appeals to countries like Russia and Poland
which consume smoked mackerel, but the
French tinned food industry prefers the
gutted, deheaded and frozen mackerel.
They also sometimes ask for frozen fillets
with the skin. Some countries favour fresh
fish. Since, "if one compares the cost of delivery on the one hand to the cost of freezing
on the other hand, prices are not so different,"
Sten Furic explains.
The Brexit will inevitably have some
impact on the French market. Not only
because Ireland, its main supplier, fishes
in British waters, but also because imports
from the United Kingdom might be subject to customs duties in 2019. In that
context, any good news is welcome and
increasing quotas is certainly one! "A study
on the fertility phase of mackerel is done
every three years. The last one was done in
2016 and results were good. Mackerel stocks
are healthy and fished with methods which
are coherent with scientific prescriptions,"
explains Thierry Mainsard, manager of the
company Transfopêche, a wholesaler from
Boulogne whose turnover is close to 3 million euros.
To be more precise, the vessels of the
European Union will benefit from a TAC
of 503,245 tons in 2017 divided between
the members of Europe on a total of
1,020,996 tons. "The Irish quota for 2017
amounts to 86,426 tons, versus 75,837 tons in
2016," points out Finnian O'Luasa, seafood
products manager for Europe at Bord Bia.
A figure which must be compared with the
229,821 tons of the Norwegians and the
128,655 tons of the Faroe Islands. ■

Julien Duflos and Thierry Mainsard, from the wholesaler Transfopêche

Stability of prices is to be expected in 2017

he reduction of quotas over the last two years is
resulting in an upward trend of prices on traditional markets. The price of the 300-500 g whole
fish including the head, has gone up by 12%
between 2015 and 2016. The 2017 anticipated rise in catches should help prices to
gain stability. The MSC certification, which
has been effective since mid-2016 may
make it possible to win back markets which
are receptive to this criterion.

❘ 96 ❘

Geopolitics playes a part

PRODUITS DE LA MER N°171 AVRIL 2017

Other factors in favour of stable prices: the Russian
embargo, if it is maintained, and the slackening
of Nigerien imports. The country has put a regulation system in place for food imports which
could become a problem for producers. In spite of
everything, the mackerel, a healthy product with
good nutritional values, known and appreciated by
a great number of consumers, remains an affordable
food product. This implies that new markets should
be quite easy to find."
DR

86 426

t
C'est le Tac de
maquereau du principal
pays fournisseur
de la France : l'Irlande.

frozen product prices. One year later, the
bill amounted to 1,924 euros, namely
an 18% rise!
What is the situation at the onset of
the 2016-2017 season? "The start of the
fishing season in Norway usually gives an
indication regarding prices," underlines
Sten Furic, general manager of the JeanFrançois Furic company. "This country is the
largest producer of mackerel, as far as fishing
or processing is concerned. It is the best leading indicator," confirms Laurence Blanloeil
in charge of public relations at the Maison
Chancerelle. "The start of the season in
Norway seems to show very high prices." So
it seems unlikely that tensions will disappear at the beginning of this year.

Table des matières de la publication Produits de la mer - n°171 - avril 2017