"We aim to produce excellent cobia while contributing to the growth of responsible aquaculture in Taiwan," said Jennifer Lai, CEO of Tuna Rich Trade & Fishery Co., Ltd.
Photo: Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) announced that Tuna Rich Trade & Fishery Co., Ltd. has become the first farm in Taiwan to join ASC's Improver Programme. The company has done it through an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) - an initiative that implements changes to the way farms operate to mitigate negative social and environmental impacts -, marking an important milestone for cobia and grouper farming in the East Asia country.
"In this humble pond, we strive with small, deliberate steps, hoping that one day, they will echo across the vast world," said Jennifer Lai, CEO of Tuna Rich Trade & Fishery Co., Ltd., commenting on the achievement.
"We are committing to measurable improvements in environmental performance, fish welfare, and working conditions, and to greater transparency from farm to buyer. By following a clear, independently reviewed plan and reporting our progress, we aim to produce excellent cobia while contributing to the growth of responsible aquaculture in Taiwan," she added.
Located in Kaohsiung, a major port city in southern Taiwan and the third largest in the country, Tuna Rich Trade & Fishery Co., Ltd. produces around 480 metric tons of dragon-tiger grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus X Epinephelus lanceolatus) and around 95 metric tons of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) annually.
Known for its rapid growth, excellent flesh quality, and adaptability to aquaculture, it is precisely this latter species, cobia, that is now a cornerstone of Taiwan's seafood industry, which, through advanced farming techniques, has successfully scaled up its production to meet growing demand at home and abroad.
As noted in the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's release, Taiwan has become a global leader in tropical fish aquaculture, pioneering the commercial production of this high-value marine species. The thriving cobia industry supports the country's seafood sector and provides significant economic opportunities for coastal communities
It is against this backdrop of aquaculture expansion in Taiwan that the entry of the country's first seafood farm into the ASC's Improver Programme takes on even greater significance, as highlighted by Patricia Bianchi, AIP and Governance Manager at ASC.
"The entry of Tuna Rich Trade & Fishery Co., Ltd. into the Improver Programme marks an important milestone for cobia and grouper farming in Taiwan," she said. "By joining, the farm is not only committing to advancing environmental performance, fish welfare, and improving social conditions, but also gaining access to technical support, training, and tools to strengthen its operations."
"Participation in the programme also provides recognition among responsible seafood buyers and partners, helping the farm to better connect with markets that value sustainable aquaculture," Bianchi added.
As WeAreAquaculture has previously reported, not all aquaculture producers can meet the requirements of ASC standards, but that does not mean they are not committed to improving their farming practices. The Improver Programme by ASC is designed for those farms that are not yet ready or eligible for full ASC certification but are committed to making measurable improvements.
From September 2023, producers can submit their Aquaculture Improvement Project and apply to participate in the programme to receive support to improve their farming operations through two routes.
The first, the AIP to ASC certification route, defines a four-phase plan to improve performance to a level where the producer is ready to begin the ASC certification process by the end of the AIP. The second, the AIP to Better Practices route, provides access for those producers who do not wish to become ASC certified but want to improve their responsible practices in specific environmental or social areas.
Thus, by supporting farms through a structured pathway of change, the programme helps drive higher standards across the aquaculture sector. Some recent examples include AGRIMINGOLD S.A., which was the first Latin American participant and the first shrimp farm in Ecuador to join the programme, or Kenya's Victory Farms, the first tilapia farmer worldwide to participate in it.
As the Aquaculture Stewardship Council pointed out in its release, collectively, these improvements play a vital role in advancing ASC's mission to transform seafood farming for a more responsible and sustainable future. Its CEO, Chris Ninnes, agrees.
"For me, this is this a huge opportunity, and I foresee that the Improver Programme aspect of the of the ASC will become bigger than the certification side of it," he said in an exclusive interview with WeAreAquaculture for his TalentView.
