Saving Seafood

Connecting during COVID: Seafood processing equipment developers going virtual

December 29, 2020 — The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic at the start of 2020 forced much of the world to reimagine its vision for the year, and even the decade.

Sequestering to help contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus quickly became the norm, resulting in the scaling back of business and personal travel, as well as social gatherings worldwide. Global industries have had to redefine the ways in which supply chains and stakeholders connect, an obstacle that the seafood segment has countered with digital ingenuity.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Aquafeed producers stress importance of shift toward sustainable supply chain

October 12, 2020 — Major aquaculture operations and retail companies are setting high targets in the next decade to push the industry’s boundaries on sustainability as it relates to novel feed ingredients, energy efficiency and the reduction of carbon emissions, and worker voice and social equity.

In a virtual Global Outlook for Aquaculture Leadership (GOAL) conference panel on Wednesday, sustainability heads from several companies came together to explain their guidelines, goals, and reasons for focusing on increasing sustainable practices in these key areas.

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Pandemic has resulted in huge boost to seafood sales worldwide

October 6, 2020 — Grocery retailers around the world have realized a significant increase in seafood sales as consumers are cooking at home more due to COVID-19 shelter-in-place and dining restrictions.

Now, a new Global Aquaculture Alliance survey quantifies the surging retail demand. Survey respondents reported a “huge increase in seafood sales,” Spheric Research Founder Matt Craze wrote in an article published by GAA

Read the full story at Seafood Source

GAA develops COVID-19 guidelines for seafood processors

August 5, 2020 — In July, the Global Aquaculture Alliance released a guidance document for aquaculture facilities  to reduce the transmission of COVID-19, under its Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) third-party certification program.

The guidance “is intended to act as a resource for seafood processing facilities seeking best practices to keep their employees healthy and limit the exposure to and the spread of COVID-19,” according to the organization.

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GAA seeks SSCI recognition for BAP program

July 13, 2020 — The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) has announced it has submitted an application for The Consumer Goods Forum’s (CGF) Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) benchmark for its Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification program.

The benchmark application is the first step in achieving SSCI recognition for meeting “industry expectations for third-party social compliance programs,” according to a press release from GAA. The application makes BAP the first certification program to apply, according to GAA.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Global Aquaculture Alliance’s GOAL conference to move online due to COVID-19

May 12, 2020 — The Global Aquaculture Alliance announced on Tuesday, 12 May, its annual Global Outlook for Aquaculture Leadership (GOAL) conference will be completely virtual this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

GOAL 2020 will be held from 6 to 8 October as previously scheduled, with six to eight program sessions per day. Access to the first day of the conference will be offered free of charge to members of seafood associations and other strategic partners worldwide.

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Deadly shrimp virus has farmers in China fearing the worst

April 28, 2020 — A virus that has plagued shrimp farmers in China since 2014 may be rebounding with a vengeance, this time in Guangdong Province, a crucial hub for aquaculture production in the country.

The South China Morning Post reported on 12 April that Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1) had been detected once more in a number of shrimp farms in the southern province of Guangdong, along the Pearl River Delta, as of February 2020. According to the newspaper, about a quarter of shrimp farming operations in the province have been infected by the current outbreak, which previously struck stocks in China at the start of 2019 before summer temperatures prevailed.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Seafood certification programs address COVID-19 crisis with extensions, interim policies

April 1, 2020 — Certification programs are adjusting practices and policies in response to safety concerns around the COVID-19 pandemic, in an effort to support businesses in an already challenged industry.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), and Fair Trade have all made initial accommodations to reduce travel and in-person interaction while retaining the integrity of their programs. Each organization is also in the process of assessing their specific procedures for potential further changes as they monitor the global situation relating to COVID-19.

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US seafood suppliers, organizations forge ahead with Boston plans

March 13, 2020 — The Global Aquaculture Alliance and other companies and nonprofits involved in the seafood industry have rescheduled events originally planned for Seafood Expo North America to online meetings and webinars.

The GAA Stakeholder Update Meeting will take place as a webinar on 19 March at 11 a.m. EST. GAA board and committee meetings, which are closed to the public, will also be held online.

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Best Aquaculture Practices certifications up 15 percent in 2019

March 2, 2020 — The Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification program continued to grow in 2019, with 2,681 BAP-certified processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills worldwide by the end of the year. That’s up almost 15 percent from the program’s 2018 count, according to the GAA’s annual report.

Created by the GAA in 2008, BAP has the mission of providing quantitative guidelines for evaluations of best practices in aquaculture.

Read the full story at Seafood Source