SPAIN FARMING ABALONE TARGETS ASIAN HIGH-END MARKET |亞洲饕客嗜吃鮑魚 西班牙養殖外銷飽賺

Abalone is one of the world's most expensive shellfish and in China, customers are willing to pay $100 for an abalone meal. But diving for it is a risky business and at least four divers died last year of the Californian coast. That's why a company in Spain who sets eyes on this market tried to raise abalone in mariculture farms. Chef Agustin Murata prepares an exclusive dish of abalone and tripe, carefully adding a side of seaweed to his finished creation. Abalone is a delicacy in Asia and fetches high prices. Its secret to entice connoisseurs lies in its unusual texture. Contrary to Western gastronomy which prefers flavors to textures, combining abalone with spices or sauces, this sea snail is usually served raw, sashimi style in Asia to emphasize its chewiness. ==AGUSTIN MURATA Kabuki Wellington chief bartender== In Asia, they like textures the best. And abalone must be chewed because it has a lot of juice. It is more about the texture in the mouth than the flavor itself. Because of the sea creature's popularity in Asia, it is now also farmed commercially in the coastal region of Galicia in the northern Spain. Galician Marine Aquaculture, an abalone farm which nurtures the mollusk from larvae to lunch, said that reducing a diet of homemade algae and the amount of stress in the shellfish's living environment helps to produce the exclusive seafood. The pure quality of Galicia's water is also key in the farm's success. ==NATALIA BARCALA DEL CANO Galicia Marine Aquaculture== Our objective is if we have the highest quality of water and the best food in phytoplankton and in micro algae we will get the best abalone, therefore, the most exclusive one. This abalone is designed for Asian high-end catering markets. Generally, it takes four or even five years for abalone to reach maturity to be served at the dining table. GMA said it usually sells the prized seafood at 80 euros per kilo to restaurants in Japan, China, and Korea. The company's goal for this year is to produce 115 tons of abalone, which would make it one of the largest abalone farms in the world. TRANSLATED BY：ARIEL HSIEH