The A+ Environmental Sustainability Management Framework was officially launched at the Aquaculture New Zealand conference, this month. It is supported by funding from the Ministry for Primary Industries Sustainable Farming Fund.

The new programme is helping to promote and maximise the value of New Zealand aquaculture products, said Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy.

“This will help our products like salmon, mussels and oysters to stand out in the global market by showing the highest standards of environmental sustainability,” said Mr Guy.

The A+ programme will deliver a set of strong, measurable and progressive Environmental Codes of Practice sustainability standards, that will be independently audited, verified and widely recognised.

“As a nation we are never going to be the biggest producer of seafood in the world, but we can be the best. This new standard will help inform consumers who are increasingly interested in the backstory and environmental footprint of premium products,” he said.

The MPI Sustainable Farming Fund has contributed $256,000 towards the A+ programme with co-funding and in-kind contribution of $189,000 from Aquaculture New Zealand via a growers’ levy.

Source: Scoop Independent News.