Tropical-Sponsored Operation Is Brazil’s First To Enroll In iBAP
GeneSeas Aquacultura Ltda. is Brazil’s first operation to enroll in the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s iBAP program, and the latest operation that Tropical Aquaculture Products Inc. has sponsored to enroll in the iBAP program or apply for Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification.
U.S.-based Tropical Aquaculture has sponsored a total of 11 tilapia processing plants and farms in four countries (Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico and Colombia) to enroll in the iBAP program or apply for BAP certification. A long-time supporter of the BAP program, Tropical Aquaculture actively pushes the tilapia processing plants and farms that it contracts exclusively with to pursue BAP certification, increasing the volume of two-star BAP tilapia that Tropical Aquaculture sells in the North American market. In addition to fresh and frozen tilapia, Tropical Aquaculture Products also markets fresh and frozen shrimp, fresh steelhead trout, fresh salmon, fresh cod and fresh cobia.
GeneSeas Aquacultura’s tilapia processing plant and farms registered for iBAP in November and have until August to complete the program.
Since its launch in early 2015, 82 facilities worldwide have enrolled in iBAP. Of the 82 facilities, 44 have applied for BAP certification and 10 are BAP certified. Currently, there are 26 facilities enrolled in iBAP, representing 10 countries (Brazil, China, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Thailand and Vietnam) and four species (shrimp, pangasius, tilapia and trout) as well as aquaculture feed.
Launched almost a year ago, the iBAP program is designed to provide assistance and encouragement to aquaculture facilities interested in pursuing Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification. Facilities that enroll in iBAP agree to a step-by-step, deadline-driven improvement plan, incentivizing facilities to make the improvements necessary to apply for BAP certification.
