November 8, 2006

 

US tilapia producers and NGOs team up to set standards

 

 

Tilapia aquaculture is a sustainable way of production and would require more standardization of criteria and participation from the general industry.

 

For this purpose, US tilapia producers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been conducting a series of meetings to work out industry standards for tilapia.

 

production, with the latest series scheduled for Nov 14 in Miami, Intrafish reported.

 

NGOs such as World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have teamed up with tilapia producers to find a path to sustainable  tilapia aquaculture.

 

Tilapia is one of the cleanest species to be used for aquaculture since it is a herbivore and thus do not require much fishmeal, resulting in less pollution. 

 

The species also have less incidences of escaping from fish farm, lowering chances of the cultured species from contaminating the gene pools of wild species. The fish's resistance to disease also meant that the use of antibiotics and chemicals can be reduced.

 

Mike Picchietti, President of Regal Springs, an aquaculture producer participating in the dialogues, has full confidence tilapia can be produced in a sustainable manner.

 

The Nov. 14 meeting would focus on responsible tilapia aquaculture and set criteria and standards with the first two meetings having laid the groundwork for the development of the draft principles to be introduced.

 

The first draft standards should be introduced in the next seven months or so, Aaron McNevin, an aquaculture specialist with WWF said.

 

Standards would engender greater trust in seafood products and show the public tilapia are being raised in accordance with industry standards, McNevin said.

 

McNevin said the only way to see more conservation is to have measurable standards which saves retailers from doing the research work themselves.

 

The programme would need to be trusted and requires the participation of the industry, Picchietti said.

 

Certification would ensure that tilapia farms adhere to the standards that are set up and reduce the bad press. Tilapia producers have chosen to work with this initiative as tilapia does not have a lot of the bad press as other aquaculture industries have, Picchietti said.

 

The first dialogue was held last year. Since then, about 70 percent of US producers for fresh tilapia fillets are participating. 15 percent of the Asian frozen producers shipping to the US are also in the programme, Picchietti said.

 

The initiative began with the large vertically integrated producers and pulled along the rest of the industry.

 

Tilapia aquaculture can move quickly as the potential to produce this species in a sustainable manner exists, Picchietti said.