Ecuador’s Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) has signed off its first batch of SSP-approved premium quality farmed shrimp.
Ecuador’s Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP) has signed off its first batch of SSP-approved premium quality farmed shrimp.
Working closely with the non-profit organisation, Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification (ICONTEC), SSP has finalised its methodology for product verification, and is now offering Aquaculture Stewardship Council certified farmed shrimp produced without using antibiotics.
“Ensuring the highest quality product has always been our objective, and now through SSP we are able to provide a shrimp which meets the highest sustainability standards and offers a clean and natural product for consumers,” said Pamela Nath, SSP Director.
There are 11 farms across the region producing SSP approved shrimp which is then processed and distributed by the Omarsa, Santa Priscilla and Songa processing plants. SSP expects demand to grow in the coming months.
“SSP qualified shrimp is tangible proof that aquaculture is possible without the use of antibiotics at all,” said José Antonio Camposano, executive president of the National Chamber of Aquaculture of Ecuador.
“Leading an initiative like SPP, which is a reality today, is a step forward moving away from the low value generic shrimp market,” he added.
“The SSP has challenged the status quo with ambitions to demonstrate traceability that can be trusted and product testing to ensure no antibiotics. This is a much more substantive approach to validation than what we typically see. The burden is now high and on the shrimp sector in Ecuador to show progress towards these targets,” added Aaron McNevin, head of aquaculture at the World Wildlife Fund.
