New Zealand King Salmon,the world’s largest aquaculture producer of the premium King salmon species, is now eligible to offer four-star Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) salmon following the certification of its largest feed supplier, Skretting, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced.
Four stars is the highest designation in the BAP third-party certification program, indicating that a product originates from a BAP-certified processing plant, farm, hatchery and feed mill. New Zealand King Salmon is the world’s first king salmon company to earn the distinction. It’s also Australasia’s first salmon producer to offer four-star BAP salmon.
The certification of Skretting’s feed mill in Tasmania came soon after New Zealand King Salmon completed its annual audit of its three hatcheries and all eight of its salmon farms in South Island’s Marlborough Sound as well as its processing plant.
Audit efficiency is achieved by a combination of reviewing documents and policies common to all member sites such as permits, operating licenses and diver safety, in addition to individual site visits to assess site-specific audit clauses, escapes, therapeutant use and wildlife interactions.
“New Zealand King Salmon is an ambitious company that never rests on its laurels and is constantly working to become even more economically, socially and environmentally sustainable,” said NZKS CEO and Managing Director Grant Rosewarne.
BAP is the world’s most comprehensive third-party aquaculture certification program, with standards covering environmental responsibility, social responsibility, food safety, animal health and welfare and traceability. At the end of March, there were a total of 2,015 BAP-certified processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills in 33 countries on six continents. The BAP-certified farms produce a total of 2.85 million metric tons of product annually.
“We’re absolutely thrilled with this certification, because it further recognises over 30 years of hard work and investment in growing the world’s best salmon,” said Rosewarne.
