Operations

Aquaculture - A Logical Solution: The majority of food consumed around the world today is farm raised. For centuries, agriculture has been the main source of meat, dairy and vegetables in the human diet. Many people don’t realize that fish farming for human consumption has been practiced for centuries as well. Today, aquaculture is the fastest growing form of food production in the world with nearly half of the seafood on the market being farm raised.

"When executed responsibly, aquaculture is our best chance to supplement depleted wild fisheries and assist in meeting the dietary demands of an ever growing world population". John Schramm – Founder, Tropical Aquaculture Products, Inc.

With over 30 years experience in aquaculture, Tropical’s farms are among the most advanced and established in the industry. View our Corporate Brochure to learn more.

CONSISTENT QUALITY & SUPPLY

Tropical is partnered with tilapia farms that are geographically distributed throughout Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil to ensure quality and continuity of supply. This extensive network combined with five dedicated processing plants, four daily points of entry into the United States and Canada and six distribution centers enables us to successfully avoid interruptions in supply.

Combined, our farms produce roughly 100 million pounds of live fish per year. In order to consistently produce at such capacities a harmonious relationship balance between farm, environment and local community has to be ensured.

UNIQUE TILAPIA FARMING METHODS

Our farmers adhere to the industry's strictest standards and utilize two types of tilapia farming techniques: land-based pond systems and ecologically protective cages in artificial reservoirs. Unique to our Ecuadorian farming systems, we utilize a mixture of fresh mountain stream and ocean-water, resulting in "brackish" water. This natural water mixture contributes to the signature taste of Tropical brand tilapia, best described as succulent and sweet.

The ample size of our ponds allows us to farm at low densities (1 to 1.5 fish per cubic meter). Located in tropical climates, our fish grow in more natural habitats, with the absence of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, growth enhancers or antibiotics during production.

In our land-based systems, we ensure the most efficient use of water and land by employing polyculture -- the raising of two species (shrimp and tilapia) in the same pond. These two species are able to co-exist as tilapia naturally live and feed at the surface while shrimp remain on the bottom, allowing for a non-constricted space for each species.

HARVEST:

Prior to each harvest, individual ponds undergo quality testing to ensure that every fish meets our strict standards. Skilled craftsmen carefully harvest the fish on a daily basis.

AT THE PLANT: 

Our tilapia processing takes place in state-of-the-art facilities that adhere to governmental and non-governmental good manufacturing practices (GMP) and food safety guidelines.

Throughout every stage during tilapia processing; time and temperature are the key drivers for freshness and quality. Our fish arrive at the plant on a continuous basis throughout the day allowing us to maintain an even and expedited process flow. Thanks to a finely-tuned process, expertly trained staff and healthy fish, it is not necessary for us to use preservatives, carbon monoxide or additives at any stage of processing.

Traceability is a key component for managing food safety. Our tilapia are monitored every step of the way – hatched, raised, harvested, processed and shipped under controlled lots which enable us to track each individual fish’s journey.

View our Corporate Brochure to learn more.