World’s First Seriola, RAS Farm Earns BAP Certification
Kingfish Zeeland has been awarded Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, the world’s first seriola farm to earn the distinction, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced in early June. It’s also the world’s first recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) to earn BAP certification.
Located in Holland’s Zeeland province, Kingfish Zeeland raises yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi), also known as Pacific yellowtail or hiramasa, using water from the Oosterschelde marine estuary, a Natura 2000 nature reserve.
The new RAS farm, which applied for BAP certification in July 2017 and went into operation in April, is expected to produce 600 metric tons of yellowtail per year initially, with the capacity to produce 4,000 metric tons. No antibiotics or vaccines are used in production, and the fish are fed organic feed certified by French FR-BIO 10 standards. The operation runs on 100 percent renewable energy, sourced from a combination of wind, solar and biogas.
Production is year-round and provides European markets with a source of locally produced yellowtail. Yellowtail kingfish is a high-grade fish that can be served as sashimi or grilled or smoked, with similar preparation versatility to salmon or tuna.
“Sustainability and respect for our fish and the environment are core values at Kingfish Zeeland. We strongly believe that industry in the 21st century needs to no longer be just about maximum output, but rather that our impact and responsible practices are just as important. With that in mind we have taken far reaching steps at high cost to operate on 100 percent renewable energy, use certified organic feed and grow our fish without antibiotics, and to set our production protocols according to the highest standards of leading certification organizations such as BAP. We are very proud to be the first land-based RAS grow-out farm in the world to achieve the prestigious BAP certification, and will continue to push the boundaries or responsible and sustainable aquaculture,” said Ohad Maiman, CEO of Kingfish Zeeland.
At the end of May, there were 2,062 BAP-certified processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills in 34 countries and six continents. Of those 2,062, more than 50 are located in Europe, as the BAP program gradually makes inroads in Europe. Kingfish Zeeland is the first operation in the Netherlands to earn BAP certification.
About BAP
A division of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, Best Aquaculture Practices is an international certification program based on achievable, science-based and continuously improved performance standards for the entire aquaculture supply chain — farms, hatcheries, processing plants and feed mills — that assure healthful foods produced through environmentally and socially responsible means. BAP certification is based on independent audits that evaluate compliance with the BAP standards owned by the Global Aquaculture Alliance.
