Operations

We adhere to the industry's strictest standards for environmental stewardship, social responsibility, food safety and traceability by complying to our own Umbrella Policy and to the following rigorous certification schemes available for Tilapia Aquaculture:

International Standards for Responsible Tilapia Aquaculture - ISRTA The purpose of the ISRTA is to provide a means to measurably improve the environmental and social performance of tilapia aquaculture operations. The ISRTA is based on 7 principles: 1) Compliance with all national and local regulations, 2) Management of the farm to conserve natural habitat and local biodiversity, 3) Conservation of water resources, 4) Conservation of species diversity and wild populations, 5) Responsible use of resources, 6) Fish health and welfare management in en environmentally responsible manner, 7) Social Responsibility.

Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points - HACCP HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards: from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. 
All of our processing plants follow U.S. FDA guidelines for HACCP, certified by each country’s respective Department of Fisheries.

Aquaculture Certification Council - ACC The ACC is a nongovernmental body established to certify social, environmental and food safety standards at aquaculture facilities throughout the world. This nonprofit, nonmember public benefit corporation applies the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s (GAA) “Best Aquaculture Practices” (BAP) standard.  BAP certification combines site inspections and effluent sampling with sanitary controls, therapeutic controls and traceability.

Safe Quality Food - SQF Level 3 The Safe Quality Food (SQF) Program is an integrated food safety program administered by the SQF Institute, part of the US-based Food Marketing Institute (FMI). Recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), an organization representing over 70% of food retail revenue worldwide, the SQF Program is based on the principles of HACCP, Codex, ISO and Quality Management Systems. The SQF certification builds confidence between retailers and suppliers; demonstrates compliance with regulatory and product traceability requirements; and provides a structure for implementing and demonstrating sustainable production and manufacturing best practices. SQF is internationally recognized and meets the standards of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). After achieving Level 3, which is a Comprehensive Quality Management Systems Development Certification, our products can use the SQF 2000 Certification Trade Mark.

GLOBALG.A.P. The GLOBALG.A.P. Tilapia Standard was launched in April 2009 and was developed based on the demand for sustainable sources of this protein. The standard focuses on food safety, animal welfare, environmental protection and social risk assessment. GLOBALG.A.P. requires a Chain of Custody certification with which there is full segregation and traceability of certified products. The standard not only covers good aquaculture practices at the farm-level, but also enables the farmer to demonstrate that feed and fingerlings entering the farming process are also GLOBALGAP recognized.

ISO Standards ISO 9001:2000 (processing plants) sets the requirements for quality management systems.  It is firmly established as the globally implemented standard for providing assurance about the ability to satisfy quality requirements and to enhance customer satisfaction in supplier-customer relationships. ISO 14001:2004 (farm) sets the requirements for environmental management systems and confirms it’s global relevance for organizations wishing to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner.