The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) held its 2023 Annual General Meeting in Saint Julian’s (Malta), during which the FEAP 2023 Award was presented to Gustavo Larrazábal.
An engineer by education, his career in aquaculture began in 1984 in Spain and today he heads Aquanaria SL, one of the most successful fish farming companies in Europe. Over almost forty years in the very complex seabass and seabream sector he has been able to build a company that excels in the production of a specialised fish product, extra-large fresh sea bass.
Its fish are farmed offshore in the Canary Islands and are placed on high-level markets free from the risks and volatility of the usual fish commodities. A fish of superior quality that has raised the reputation of farmed fish in general to their highest position ever, well above wild fish, in the most reputed European restaurants. To reach this situation Gustavo Larrazábal has skilfully avoided the deadly boom and bust cycles of the Mediterranean sea bass and sea bream sector.
The company was previously called Tinamenor SA, based in North Spain. This was one of the first hatcheries for seabass and seabream in Europe, besides of other species such as turbot, sole and several molluscs.
Since the early days of Mediterranean aquaculture, when mass production of juveniles was a dream, Gustavo Larrazábal pioneered the production of juveniles and successfully delivered them throughout Europe. His enthusiasm and hard work boosted Mediterranean aquaculture from its first required stage in the early eighties, hatchery production of quality juveniles. This undertaking expanded its activities to on-growing sea bass in the Canary Islands and there it continues successfully today under the Aquanaria brand.
In Spain, APROMAR, the Spanish aquaculture association, was founded in 1986 when marine fish aquaculture in the Mediterranean was at its inception. Spanish fish farmers quickly understood the importance of collaboration. Gustavo Larrazábal was one of the leaders at that time, alongside Lazaro Rosa (Cupimar SA) who received the FEAP Award in 2010 in Malta. Gustavo Larrazábal became the first president of APROMAR in 1986 and was continuously and unanimously re-elected for the post until 2003. Gustavo continues today to be a key member of the Board of APROMAR.
The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) was founded in 1968 as the Federation Européenne de la Salmoniculture (FES). When the federation expanded its scope and embraced Mediterranean aquaculture in the early nineties Gustavo Larrazábal was one of the drivers for bringing the issues of sea bass and sea bream to European level, alongside other Greek and French entrepreneurs.
During his tenure in the Management Committee of FEAP the European Commission began to consider aquaculture separately from capture fisheries, for example through the Advisory Council for Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA), and numerous research initiatives were launched. He has been Vice-president of the FEAP from 2003 until 2019. At all times he has provided a clear business sense to the governance of the federation. He still today actively participates in FEAP’s activities and meetings.
Historically, FEAP always understood the importance of innovation for a sustainable and profitable fish farming sector. With this perspective, the federation initiated in 2007 the creation of the European Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Platform (EATiP). Gustavo Larrazábal became its first President in 2009. He still holds that position today, steering with competence the technology platform as it continues to be well-considered throughout the sector and in the European Commission.
EATiP has been showcased by the European Commission as an example of a valuable technology platform. It has expanded its reach through the creation of Mirror Platforms in most European countries and continues bringing young professionals into the sector.
