First Mediterranean Facility Enrolls In iBAP
Sagro Aquaculture Ltd. has enrolled its sea bream hatchery in Cyprus in the iBAP program, becoming the world’s first sea bream facility as well as the world’s first Mediterranean facility to do so.
Launched in early 2015, the iBAP program is designed to provide assistance and encouragement to aquaculture facilities interested in pursuing BAP certification. Facilities that enroll in iBAP agree to a step-by-step, deadline-driven improvement plan. iBAP incentivizes facilities to make the improvements necessary to apply for BAP certification.
Sagro Aquaculture was established in 1983 by Savvas J. Agrotis. Currently, the hatchery is capable of producing 20 million fingerlings annually. The company supplies the fingerlings to many of the leading sea bream producers in the Mediterranean and Middle East.
“We are very happy that Sagro is the first Mediterranean operation committing to responsible aquaculture though the BAP program. The potential certification of Sagro represents the start of a supply chain of aquaculture products produced under the strictest procedures of best aquaculture management,” said Marcos Moya, manager of supply development for the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s BAP division.
Currently, nearly 50 processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills from eight countries worldwide are enrolled in the iBAP program. They represent four species (shrimp, tilapia, striped bass and crawfish) as well as aquaculture feed. So far, more than 80 aquaculture facilities have graduated from iBAP.
