March 11, 2016

UK-based Sykes Seafood's Sefton Meadow Seafoods facility is Europe's first shrimp processing plant to earn the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) announced at the Seafood Expo North America in early March.

The facility is located in Manchester. Mike Berthet, BAP's UK marketing development manager, will be on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

"I am absolutely delighted and privileged to have been invited to open Sykes' new processing plant," Berthet said. "There are some occasions in our industry that mark considerably important milestones, and I consider this to be one of them."

"To have had both the foresight and commitment to become the first BAP-certified shrimp processing plant in Europe is quite an achievement, and Sykes should be justly proud," Berthet added. "I look forward to seeing it become the benchmark for other processors of BAP products throughout Europe, which enables 'farm to customer' security of BAP seafood."

The company said in a statement that it is about to announce a joint venture with an Indian shrimp supplier.