Regal  Springs’  tilapia  operation  in  northwest  Honduras  is  the  subject  of  a  new  mini-documentary  that  is  the  second  in  a  video  series  showcasing  sustainable  aquaculture  around  the  world.  Produced  by  the  U.S.  Soybean  Export  Council  (USSEC)  with  funding  from  the  soybean  check-off  program,  

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The  Regal  Springs/Aquafinca  operation  in  Honduras  is  the  first  aquaculture  facility  worldwide  to  be  certified  by  the  Aquaculture  Stewardship  Council,  according  to  stringent  standards  that  must  be  met  for  the  health  of  the  fish,  environmental  impact,  and  social  justice  and  community  support,  in  order  to  be  certified  as  sustainable.  USSEC  has  provided  support  for  Regal  Springs/Aquafinca  in  the  form  of  training,  feed  formulation  trials,  seminars,  and  technical  consultation.  

Replacing  wild-caught  fishmeal  and  fish  oil  in  feed  with  soybean  meal  lowers  the  fish‐in:fish‐out  ratio  of  feed,  which  helps  to  enhance  overall  sustainability  of  farmed  fish.  Regal  Springs’  vertically  integrated  operation  in  Honduras  consists  of  a  hatchery,  two  grow‐out  locations  in  Lake  Yojoa  and  El  Cajon  Reservoir,  a  processing  plant  and  feed  mill.  

The  fish  are  raised  from  hatch  to  harvest,  and  every  part  of  the  fish  is  utilized  in  processing  ‐  for  example,  producing  bio-diesel  and  fishmeal  and  fish  oil  for  shrimp  feed  from  trimmings  - so  that  there  is  no  waste  from  the  processing  plant.  Sustainability  is  at  the  core  of  Regal  Springs’  business  philosophy,  and  translates  not  just  into  environmentally  sound  production  methods  and  no-waste  processing  technology,  but  also  social  programs  for  the  company’s  workers  and  communities  in  which  they  do  business.  These  programs  include  providing  educational  resources  and  building  schools  in  the  area,  managing  a  forest  conservation  program,  stock  enhancement  for  local  fishermen,  and  providing  fingerlings  for  community  aquaculture  projects.  

“Regal  Springs’  tilapia  operations  around  the  world  are  a  good  example  of  modern  aquaculture  as  a  sustainable  business  enterprise,”  said  Dr.  Michael  Cremer,  International  Aquaculture  Senior  Program  Advisor  at  USSEC.  “Aquaculture  will  continue  to  be  a  major  source  of  healthy  food  for  a  growing  population.  Regal  Springs  shows  how  to  scale  up  responsibly  and  sustainably  to  produce  a  healthy,  high  quality  food.”