From Almadrava to Ikejime: Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and the Pursuit of Excellence

How centuries-old fishing traditions, Japanese precision, and a new approach to value creation could elevate Portuguese seafood on the global stage.

Last week, while visiting Olhão for business, I had the opportunity to see the operations of some fascinating companies specializing in Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), one of the world's most prized fish.

What caught my attention was the remarkable combination of centuries-old Portuguese fishing traditions and Japanese expertise in preserving seafood quality.

But beyond the fishing techniques themselves, I found myself thinking about a much bigger opportunity.

Could Portugal become internationally recognized not simply as a supplier of excellent tuna, but as an origin for some of the world's finest seafood?

Almadrava: A Tradition Worth Preserving

Long before modern industrial fishing, communities along the Algarve coast developed sophisticated systems for catching migrating tuna.

Known as almadrava, or armação de atum in Portuguese, this traditional method uses stationary underwater nets positioned along the natural migration routes of bluefin tuna.

Rather than actively pursuing the fish, the system guides them through a series of chambers where they can be captured.

For centuries, tuna fishing shaped the economy and culture of Algarve coastal communities. Yet by the 1970s, this tradition had largely disappeared.

Its revival came through an unexpected partnership with Japan.

In the early 1990s, Japanese equipment, engineering, and technical expertise helped reintroduce fixed-net tuna fishing to the Algarve, combining international technology with local maritime knowledge.

Today, the renewed almadrava operations demonstrate how traditional fishing methods can coexist with modern technology.

Ikejime: Japanese Precision Meets Portuguese Tradition

Japan has developed an extraordinary culture around seafood quality, where handling techniques, freshness, texture, fat distribution, and even the timing of consumption can influence a fish's value.

One of its best-known techniques is ikejime, a method of rapidly and precisely dispatching fish to minimize stress and preserve meat quality.

When properly performed, often alongside spinal cord destruction, rapid bleeding, and controlled chilling, the technique can help reduce quality deterioration and preserve texture and flavor.

Portuguese bluefin tuna operations have increasingly embraced Japanese handling expertise, with international Ikejime Quality certification representing an important recognition of these efforts.

What makes this particularly interesting is that ikejime does not replace almadrava. It complements it.

Almadrava concerns how the fish is caught. Ikejime concerns how it is handled and dispatched.

Together, they can form a compelling proposition: Portuguese fishing heritage supported by Japanese technical precision.

There is another important dimension. Some wild-caught bluefin tuna are transferred to offshore holding enclosures and fed to develop the fat content demanded by premium markets. This is distinct from producing tuna entirely through captive breeding, but it remains a form of aquaculture that should be communicated transparently.

Quality, traceability, responsible resource management, and transparency must all be part of the premium story.

The Next Challenge: Capturing More Value in Portugal

This is where I see an opportunity that extends beyond the fishing industry itself.

Portugal already possesses extraordinary marine resources, skilled fishermen, established seafood traditions, and growing technical expertise.

Yet producing an exceptional raw material is not always the same as capturing its full commercial value.

Consider the international reputation of Japanese bluefin tuna.

Its premium positioning is supported not only by the fish itself, but also by grading standards, specialist cutting techniques, culinary culture, auctions, distribution systems, and a sophisticated understanding of different cuts.

Akami, chutoro, and otoro are not simply different pieces of tuna. They represent distinct culinary experiences, each with its own market positioning.

Portugal has the opportunity to develop a similarly sophisticated approach while creating its own identity.

That could mean greater investment in specialist processing, differentiated cuts, traceability, chef partnerships, premium packaging, and products designed for international gourmet markets.

It could also mean finding higher-value applications for less celebrated parts of the fish through charcuterie-inspired preparations, cured tuna, bottarga-style products, and carefully developed preserves.

The objective should not simply be to sell more tuna. It should be to create more value from every responsibly harvested fish.

A Portuguese Identity, Not a Japanese Imitation

There is an important distinction here.

Portugal does not need to imitate Japan to become a premium seafood destination.

Japanese expertise can provide valuable lessons in handling, grading, precision, and quality preservation. But the Portuguese story must remain distinctly Portuguese.

The Algarve has its own fishing heritage, culinary traditions, coastal communities, and relationship with the Atlantic.

The opportunity is to bring these elements together into a recognizable identity built around origin, craftsmanship, technical excellence, and responsible fishing.

We have already seen how provenance and production methods can elevate products such as Iberian ham, extra virgin olive oil, and fine wine.

Why shouldn't carefully handled Portuguese wild-caught tuna receive comparable recognition?

A Promising Sign from Olhão

In May 2026, Olhão hosted Portugal's first Japanese-inspired Maguro Seri bluefin tuna auction, organized by local seafood businesses with support from Docapesca.

A 238-kilogram tuna attracted a winning bid of approximately €10,000.

Of course, a ceremonial auction does not establish everyday market prices. But it demonstrates something important: the potential to create visibility and recognition around Portuguese tuna, rather than treating it solely as an export commodity.

Such initiatives can bring together fishermen, processors, chefs, distributors, and consumers around a common understanding of quality.

The Future of Portuguese Premium Seafood

The future of premium fishing cannot be based on increasing catches indefinitely.

Bluefin tuna remains a tightly managed species, with fishing opportunities regulated through international quotas and conservation measures.

For Portugal, the more compelling long-term strategy may therefore be value growth rather than volume growth.

Better handling, improved product differentiation, stronger origin recognition, greater processing expertise, and international commercial development can all help increase the value created from a limited resource.

My visit to Olhão reinforced something I strongly believe: Portugal already has many of the ingredients required to build globally recognized premium food products.

The revival of almadrava and the adoption of Japanese quality techniques show how traditional knowledge and international technology can work together.

The next chapter is about turning that excellence into a stronger Portuguese identity in global seafood markets.

Because the real opportunity is not just to catch an extraordinary fish. It is to ensure that the world recognizes — and rewards — the people, traditions, and expertise behind it.