Taiwan Tilapia –the Power of Taiwan Aquaculture／台灣鯛 展現台灣養殖實力
Taiwan Tilapia –the Power of Taiwan Aquaculture
◎English translation: Tan Shu-chun
Taiwan Tilapia is one of the most popular white-fleshed types of fish in the developed world. Taiwan plays a leading role in the global white-fleshed fish-farming industry, exporting frozen tilapia and tilapia fillets to the United States, Japan, South Korea, the European Union, and other places. At a time when proper allocation of ocean fishery resources and sustainable development are hot issues, the breeding and export of Taiwan Tilapia is likely to remain a lucrative business.
Introduced to Taiwan back in 1946, tilapia quickly became an everyday cuisine in local households. Being small and dark, tilapia were mostly raised in ponds or ditches before the practice was transformed by professional aquaculture. Tilapia were then transformed into a larger species with more delicate meat, and therefore given a new name, "Taiwan Tilapia." Since then, tilapia fisheries have made great progress. New types of fingerlings are cultivated to meet the demands of large-scale commercial breeding. Taiwan Tilapia can grow to a size of 1.2 kg. Both domestic and export sales have grown since 1990.
Taiwan Tilapia is mostly bred south of Chiayi. Kaohsiung's coast is famous for its booming and advanced aquaculture industry, with the Hunei District having the city's biggest output of Taiwan Tilapia. Fortune Life is a leading name among companies engaged in exporting Taiwan Tilapia. By leveraging world-class processing technology and equipment, Fortune Life has had numerous successes selling high-quality Taiwan Tilapia overseas.
Taiwan Tilapia farmer Mr. Jhuang Yu-ci has a 1.94-hectare fish farm in Hunei District. He says the family-run business goes back to his grandparents' era. The ideal temperature for tilapia farming is 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit), as tilapia lose their appetites when it is too cold, he says.
Water quality is key, so Mr. Jhuang pays special attention to the color and bubbles of the pond water. He also observes the vitality of the fish. When the weather changes, he checks water quality more often, and carefully observes any improvement or deterioration. His farm produces high-quality Taiwan Tilapia which are highly regarded by domestic consumers.
Fortune Life has been an industry leader in frozen aquatic products for nearly a half century. As an EU-accredited aquatic-products processing company, Fortune Life is able to export premium-quality Taiwan Tilapia fish fillets to overseas markets with the help of advanced technology and equipment. Taiwan Tilapia fish weighing up to 1.2kg are first processed and then stored in an ultra-cold freezer to retain the delicate taste and freshness. From harvesting contract fish to purchasing, sampling, inspecting and filleting, the entire supply chain adheres to the strictest industry standards. Quality controllers carefully ensure there is no muddy taste by steaming fish jaws, inspecting their smell and tasting the meat. Only Taiwan Tilapia fillet products which pass these inspections can be exported.
It is worth noting that Fortune Life starts the QC process with its suppliers, all of which are required to have ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) certificates. Taiwan Tilapia farmers have to meet multiple standards relating to feed, water quality, farm-water emissions, farming density, animal welfare and other elements before receiving certification. ASC certification ensures the quality of Taiwan's aquatic export to the EU.
Mr. Tsai Jyun-syong, chairman of Fortune Life Company, emphasizes that the key to ensuring a steady supply of high-quality frozen aquatic products is to strictly follow and never compromise on operational details. Thanks to its dedication to detail, Fortune Life is able to export fresh and delicious Taiwan Tilapia to several overseas markets.
台灣鯛 展現台灣養殖實力
◎文／侯雅婷
台灣鯛是已發展國家最被廣泛接受的白肉魚之一，台灣以養殖高品質的台灣鯛品種在全球白肉魚市場站穩一席之地，以凍魚、魚片或生魚片等不一形式外銷至美、日、韓以及歐盟等，特別是人們對遠洋漁業資源的使用，建立永續環保意識，台灣鯛的養殖和出口加工業前景可期。
台灣餐桌上常見的家常料理吳郭魚於1946年引進台灣，那時吳郭魚體型小、體色黝黑，未見專業養殖，生長於池沼及溝渠等水域。改良後由於體形較原來大許多、肉質鮮嫩，人們給牠取了「台灣鯛」的名字，持續不斷改良出適合大量商業化繁殖的魚種，其體形可達1200 克，不僅打開國內市場通路，更開創1990年後迄今外銷出口的佳績。台灣鯛養殖區分佈在嘉義以南，高雄沿海養殖業發達，以湖內區產量最大；而允偉興業公司耕耘冷凍水產，以國際級的加工技術和設備，將生魚片等級的台灣鯛行銷國外，成為箇中翹楚。
高雄湖內區台灣鯛養殖戶莊毓頎現養殖台灣鯛面積2甲池，他談起「從祖父輩就開始養殖吳郭魚，因此對養殖台灣鯛特別有感情」，他指出，台灣鯛最適宜的生長溫度為20至25度，天氣太冷時，台灣鯛會食慾不振；而影響養殖台灣鯛的關鍵因素是水質，巡視養殖池時，莊毓頎會留意水面的顏色、氣泡以及魚的活動力等，從各方面觀察台灣鯛健康情況。遇有天氣變化時，得格外注意水質情況並時時檢測水質。他的台灣鯛肉質鮮嫩，收成後送交大盤商，販售至國內市場，受到消費者青睞。
耕耘冷凍水產近半世紀的允偉興業公司，取得輸出歐盟資格加工廠認證，以先進的技術和設備，將一尾尾重達1200 克的台灣鯛製成生魚片級魚片行銷海外，利用超低溫冷凍，保有其口感和肉質。為保障出品的水產品，從契作漁獲、收購、取樣檢查到製成生魚片的每個步驟，皆以最高標準產製，製成的魚片必須由品檢師以清蒸魚下巴，仔細嗅味道、再品嚐等方式把關，確保製成的台灣鯛沒有土味，才可出品。難能可貴的是允偉興業公司從養殖戶端經多重把關，取得養殖管理委員會安全組織ASC( Aquaculture Stewardship Council) 認證，得符合養殖飼料、水質、養殖用水的排放、養殖密度、養殖動物福利等多重檢測，方能取得認證，以利水產品輸出歐盟國，讓消費者食得安心。
允偉興業公司董事長蔡俊雄直言，製作高品質的冷凍水產業最困難的是持續落實、徹底執行每個細節，一番話道盡允偉興業公司累積無數細節，才能產製新鮮美味的生魚片級台灣鯛，行銷至韓國、日本、美國和歐盟等國。