A business manual on value-added products from tuna and tuna bycatch

developed by Robert Stone

The production and marketing of value added tuna products provides opportunities for new businesses, with associated economic and employment benefits. Tunas and associated bycatch species can be commercially processed into a wide range of products to increase their economic value. In addition, exported value-added products may generate substantial foreign exchange earnings and further employment benefits.

This business manual provides practical guidelines to assist existing and potential entrepreneurs with the setting up of sustainable and profitable businesses making value added products from tuna and the by-products of tuna fisheries. The focus of the manual is not so much on value-adding processes (‘how do I do it?’) but more on the management of the operations (‘will it make a profit?’) - a guide to setting up and running a business, rather than a book of recipes.

The manual is not intended to cover large industrial tuna processing operations, but should be appropriate for both small and medium scale enterprises: from a small family business processing artisanal tuna catches for the local market; to a medium enterprise exporting its products, employing a number of staff and handling the catch of commercial vessels. It assumes a basic knowledge of business principles, and is aimed mainly at entrepreneurs who are already involved in some aspect of the fishing, food processing and/or retail sectors.