Four-star Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) tilapia from China will soon be available to U.S. consumers, with the first shipment of four-star BAP tilapia from China just hitting U.S. shores. Imported by U.S.-based The Fishin’ Company, the product will be delivered to a number of retail outlets across the country.
Companies are capable of offering four-star BAP product if the product originates from BAP-certified processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills. It’s the highest designation in BAP, the world’s most comprehensive third-party aquaculture certification program, with standards encompassing environmental responsibility, social responsibility, animal health and welfare, food safety and traceability.
With the BAP certification of two hatcheries and one feed mill in China late last year, The Fishin’ Company became capable of offering four-star BAP tilapia.
Sponsored by The Fishin’ Company, the BAP certification of the two hatcheries and one feed mill, from which it sources fingerlings and feed, will boost availability of four-star BAP tilapia from China.
“This is a groundbreaking day for tilapia. We are ecstatic to be able to deliver this totally comprehensive benchmark of food safety, traceability and sustainability to the retail arena, and applaud our supply chain for their partnership in this endeavor,” said Manish Kumar, CEO of The Fishin’ Company. “We must all strive to make four-star BAP tilapia the norm, not the exception. This journey is just beginning, and we will continue to work passionately with GAA to bring this goal to fruition.”
“Four-star BAP certification is the highest level available and not paralleled by any other aquaculture certification program. To achieve four-star BAP is a demonstration of true commitment to making a difference, real change on the water. We applaud the efforts of The Fishin’ Company,” said Peter Redmond, GAA’s Vice President of Market Development.
What is 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 developed by the Global Aquaculture Alliance.
