Kingfish Zeeland
raise Pacific yellowtail (Seriola lalandi), in a land-based recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). It uses water from an estuary in the Oosterschelde nature reserve. Certified organic feed is used for the fish, and the farm is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.
Not only is the farm the first in The Netherlands to be ASC certified, it is also the first Pacific yellowtail farm in the world to join the programme. The species, also known as kingfish or harimasa, is native to the Southern Pacific and traditionally shipped to Europe from Australia and Japan.
“The ASC was established in The Netherlands, and there is a great consumer demand for responsibly-sourced seafood here, so we are delighted to see Kingfish achieve certification in this country. Dutch consumers now have the opportunity to enjoy this delicious fish with the knowledge that it has been locally produced to the high environmental and social standards required by the ASC,” said Esther Luiten, ASC's commercial director.
“At Kingfish Zeeland we place sustainability and best practices as a core value, but we recognize that just saying so is not enough. That is why we value the strict parameters of leading certification organizations such as ASC, and are proud to be up to their standard. As the world’s first yellowtail source certified by ASC we are now able to service some of the world’s most demanding buyers, and offer their clientele the peace of mind of knowing our fish was farmed responsibly,” said Ohad Maiman, Kingfish Zeeland CEO.
“On behalf of SGS, I would like to congratulate Kingfish Zeeland BV on their achievement in becoming the first facility in the Netherlands to be ASC Certified. The SGS independent assessment confirms that Kingfish Zeeland BV is committed to, and operates with, high environmental and social standards, thereby producing sustainable and responsibly grown Seriola”, said Naghmeh Raiyat, SGS Vice President Global Food Audit, Certification & Training Solutions.
The announcement comes during Bewuste Visweek, or Think Fish Week, in The Netherlands, when consumers are encouraged to think about sustainable and responsible seafood.
