The first Dutch farm has joined the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC) programme after Kingfish Zeeland achieved certification against the ASC Seriola standard.
Kingfish Zeeland raise Pacific Yellowtail (seriola lalandi), commonly referred to as Kingfish or Hiramasa, on a land-based farm in The Netherlands, which has been certified following an audit by SGS, a third-party certification body. The farm is also the first Pacific Yellowtail farm in the world to join the programme.
“As the world’s first Yellowtail source certified by ASC we are now able to service some of the world’s most demanding buyers, and offer their clientele the peace of mind of knowing our fish was farmed responsibly,” said Ohad Maiman, Kingfish Zeeland CEO.
RAS system
The Kingfish farm in Zeeland has a land-based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS). It uses North Sea water from an estuary in the Oosterschelde nature reserve. Certified organic feed is used for the fish and the farm is powered by 100% renewable energy.
Pacific Yellowtail is a sashimi grade fish found in the Southern Pacific Ocean and traditionally shipped to Europe from Australia and Japan.
Esther Luiten, ASC commercial director, commented: “The ASC was established in The Netherlands, and there is a great consumer demand for responsibly-sourced seafood here, so we are delighted to see Kingfish achieve certification in this country.
“Dutch consumers now have the opportunity to enjoy this delicious fish with the knowledge that it has been locally produced to the high environmental and social standards required by the ASC.”
