Ace Aquatec said its partnership with Piszolla will take sustainable Spanish trout from pond to plate.
hoto: Ace Aquatec.
Ace Aquatec has entered into a partnership with Spanish trout farmer Piszolla, owned by French group Aqualande, to install the company's first stunning system at its Alba de Tormes facility in the province of Salamanca, paving the way for humane slaughter in Spain.
This is Ace Aquatec's first foray into the Spanish market as the Scottish aquaculture technology company continues to expand the presence of its humane stunning products around the world with existing partnerships in Greece, Chile, and Australia, among others.
Given the growing demand in Europe for ethically harvested fish, Piszolla's installation reflects a growing trend towards higher standards of welfare in Spain and the Mediterranean region. Moreover, the European Union is expected to introduce stricter welfare regulations in the next few years.
Therefore, with the installation of Ace Aquatec's Humane Stunner Universal (A-HSU®) the Spanish company wants to reinforce its position as a pioneer of more humane and sustainable practices in the Spanish trout farming industry.
The award-winning A-HSU® to be used at Piszolla's open pond farming site stuns fish into unconsciousness in less than a second. This minimizes handling requirements and reduces stress for the fish, as well as allowing for a safer and more efficient harvesting process.
"The installation of Ace Aquatec's trout stunner will enable us not only to streamline our operations, but also to break new ground for animal welfare standards in Spain," claimed Julio Hernández, Regional Manager at Piszolla.
"We aspire to be pioneers of humane harvesting standards in this region, and this technology is set to have a huge impact for us in terms of generating high-quality, high-welfare and sustainable products for consumers globally," he added.
For her part, Tara McGregor-Woodhams, Ace Aquatec's Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, said she is looking forward to seeing where this new partnership takes them and noted that Julio Hernández is leading "a forward-thinking, progressively minded team who are at the forefront of change in the region."
"Piszolla’s steadfast commitment to enhancing welfare standards in their Spanish site closely aligns with our ethos of providing humane and sustainable aquaculture solutions, and we’re excited to be helping them to pave the way towards humane slaughter in Spain," she said.
Headquartered in Dundee, Scotland, UK, Ace Aquatec is a global supplier of welfare-first aquaculture solutions using science and innovation to drive sustainable, welfare-focused aquaculture practices. With a current team of 30 people, the technology company has offices in Scotland, Norway, Canada, and Chile.
Acquired by Aqualande in 2018, Piszolla produces approximately 5,000 tons of trout per year that are supplied year-round to markets throughout Europe. It also provides high-end smoked trout, a premium product sold to major supermarket chains.
