Ace Aquatec is preparing to deliver its first installation in Africa as Lesotho-based Sanlei Premium Trout adopts the company’s humane in-water stunning system.
The move signals a notable shift in how the region approaches fish processing.
“Southern Africa’s aquaculture industry is undergoing rapid growth, and Ace Aquatec is uniquely equipped to support producers with the high-welfare technologies global markets now expect,” said Nathan Pyne-Carter, chief executive of Ace Aquatec.
Sanlei, Africa’s largest trout producer, will use the A-HSU system to render fish unconscious within a second and process 10–15 tonnes per hour.
For a sector where brailing remains common, the technology represents a substantial operational shift, reducing labour strain on the company’s 110 employees and limiting the handling that typically stresses fish. The system is also expected to slow the onset of rigor, which can improve product consistency.
Rather than displacing existing practices, Ace Aquatec worked with Sanlei to adapt the stunner to local workflows. The approach reflects wider pressures in southern Africa’s aquaculture industry, where demand for fish from certified farms is expected to climb.
Sanlei, currently the region’s only BAP-certified producer, is positioning itself to meet that anticipated demand at a time when welfare standards are becoming a competitive marker.
“Ace Aquatec’s flexibility and attention to detail with regards to our specific operating conditions and need to accommodate hand netting has meant the design of this game changing technology has been as smooth as possible,” said Dewald Fourie, chief executive of Sanlei Premium Trout.
“The system being installed by Ace Aquatec will support our growth and strengthen our ambitions to further enhance our welfare and certification standards.
The installation is expected to be completed later this year and Sanlei says it already has plans for a second site.
