Shrimp farm AGRIMINGOLD S.A. becomes the first farm in Ecuador to participate in an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) under the Improver Programme by Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). The AIP covers 135 hectares of Litopenaeus vannamei (Pacific white shrimp) farm in El Oro Province, Ecuador. AGRIMINGOLD S.A. produces 753.15 tonnes of shrimp annually.

The Improver Programme by ASC supports farms that are not ready or eligible for ASC certification but are committed to improving their farming practices.

Patricia Bianchi, AIP and governance manager at ASC, said, “We are proud to welcome AGRIMINGOLD S.A., and its brand MAREAROSA, as the first Latin American producer to join the Improver Programme by ASC. Their commitment to positive change and enhancing environmental and social practices reflects the proactive spirit we aim to foster through this initiative. We look forward to supporting AGRIMINGOLD S.A./MAREAROSA on their journey towards greater sustainability, social responsibility and, eventually, ASC certification.”

AGRIMINGOLD S.A. CEO Annabell Palacios said, “Our participation in the AIP represents a fundamental milestone in our firm's purpose towards environmental sustainability and a solid social responsibility. We want to make a significant contribution to the protection of the environment and the well-being of the sector, especially vulnerable communities.”

ASC already drives change and supports improvements in seafood farming at scale across the world through its certification program. For those not ASC certified, the Improver Programme by ASC supports farms that are not ready or eligible for ASC certification but are committed to improving their farming practices through an AIP. The combined impact of these many small changes in non-certified seafood farming contributes to the ASC's goal of transforming seafood farming as a whole for the future.

The Improver Programme (ASC IP) comprises a set of procedures and tools to ensure that improvements are consistently and effectively implemented by producers in the form of Aquaculture Improvement Projects (AIP).

Currently, there are 17 active AIPs in the shrimp sector across Ecuador (1), Kenya (1), Bangladesh (1), Indonesia (2), and Thailand (12).