At the Seafood Expo North America, China-based Green Life Foods was officially welcomed to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) by chief executive, Chris Ninnes.
The company achieved certification in 2018, becoming the first ASC-certified mussel and oyster producer in China. The company has made many adjustments to its practices to achieve the approval including replacing all Styrofoam floating rafts with more durable ball rafts which will reduce plastic waste by two tonnes every year.
Green Life Foods is also focusing on employee safety and opportunities for the community, providing more than 100 jobs for women from local villages.
“The efforts of Green Life Foods to reduce plastic waste pollution, support local communities and improve the work environment for its employees demonstrate a commitment to both environmental and social responsibility,” said Chris Ninnes.
“We are pleased to see growing demand for ASC certification in China, not only for exporters but also for the domestic market, where responsible practices are increasingly important to consumers.”
Other ASC-certified products from China at the trade show included the Chinese white shrimp of Zhanjiang Guolian Aquatic Products, the tilapia of Guangdong Evergreen Conglomerate, as well as tilapia products of many ASC-certified enterprises from Hainan Province of China.
At present 11 Chinese enterprises have received ASC certification for their responsibly managed farms, providing nearly 60,000 tons of responsible and sustainable seafood, including tilapia, bivalves and shrimp.
