Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett is Norway’s First Salmon Farm to Earn BAP Certification
Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett, known in the United States as Kvarøy Arctic, is Norway’s first salmon farm to be awarded Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced in early September.
Based on Norway’s Kvarøy Island in the Arctic Circle, Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett is a third-generation family business founded in 1976. Two of the company’s salmon farm sites, Movikodden and Selsøyvær, have attained BAP certification, making them the first aquaculture farms of any kind in Norway to earn the designation. Kvarøy Arctic salmon products (whole fish, fillets, portions, frozen fish, skin packs, retail frozen packs, burgers and hot dogs) are currently available at regional distributors throughout the United States, serving restaurants and retailers including Fulton Fish Market, Co-op Food Stores, Whole Foods Markets and Disney Springs.
Kvarøy plans to pursue BAP certification for its remaining three farm sites as well as its processing plant, hatchery and feed mill to attain BAP four-star designation.
“It’s our intention to secure the full 4-star rating and we’re in the process of that review now,” says Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett CEO Alf-Gøran Knutsen. “This is an important first step for our company to demonstrate our commitment to the highest sustainability standards, and an example that we hope our peers in Norway will follow.”
“We are very proud to attain BAP certification,” said Eirin Silvik, Kvarøy’s quality manager. “To be awarded BAP certification is a testament to our commitment to sustainable practices at our salmon farm sites. This would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our exceptional staff.”
Added Iain Shone, BAP’s director of market development-Europe, “We are thrilled to have Kvarøy as part of the BAP program. These particular salmon farm certifications mark a significant first for us in Norway, and we’re proud to call Kvarøy Fiskeoppdrett a new BAP producer partner.”
Administered by GAA, BAP is the world’s most comprehensive third-party aquaculture certification program, with standards encompassing environmental responsibility, social accountability, food safety, animal health and welfare, and traceability. The BAP program covers the entire aquaculture production chain — processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills.
Through the first half of 2020, there were 2,773 BAP-certified processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills in 36 countries and six continents.
About Kvarøy Arctic
Kvarøy Arctic is a third-generation, family-owned Atlantic salmon farm located on the Island of Kvarøy along Norway’s Arctic Circle. Led by CEO Alf-Gøran Knutsen, Production Manager Gjermund Olsen, and Operations Manager Håvard Olsen, the Kvarøy Arctic team is ushering in a new era of sustainability for the salmon farming industry as a net producer of fish protein with a commitment to traceability and transparency.
Kvarøy Arctic is BAP, ASC and Global G.A.P. certified, and has the merroir of Norway’s cold, clear waters with delicate marine flavors and slight brininess. It is one of a small number of farm-raised fish certified by the American Heart Association’s® Heart-Check program. Kvarøy Arctic is actively expanding its retail presence nationwide and is currently available at restaurants, for direct home delivery via FultonFishMarket.com, and at retail through select Whole Foods Market US locations with the designation “Whole Foods Atlantic Farm Raised Salmon—Product of Norway” in the fresh case.
About BAP
A division of 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 production chain. BAP standards cover environmental responsibility, social accountability, food safety and animal welfare. The BAP program is based on independent audits that evaluate compliance with the BAP standards developed by GAA.
