ASC, Laylanta Co., Ltd., and Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park have signed an MoU.
ASC
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), the Thai seafood company Laylanta Co., Ltd., and Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park are collaborating to strengthen the sustainability of barramundi cage farming in Songkhla Lake, Thailand.
Specifically, they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a three-year partnership to implement an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) under ASC's Improver Programme.
Songkhla Lake is located in the south of the country and is the largest natural lake in Thailand. Years of environmental pressure from climate change, wastewater discharge, and increased human activity have led to declining water quality, higher sedimentation, and a greater risk of eutrophication.
"This initiative is critical to drive improvements in farming practices, safeguard the lake's ecological health, and ensure the long-term resilience of the local communities," ASC CEO Chris Ninnes said.
ASC's Improver Programme will improve conditions for farmers through a combination of technical support and market incentives, helping them progress toward ASC certification. In addition, the collaboration brings together stakeholders from across the entire supply chain.
"We are leading this transformation with 11 pilot farms and aim to scale up to 100 farms, engaging small-scale farmers and communities living around the lake. This is a long-term goal we hope to achieve over the next three years," said Thasit Natteesongsor, Director and Co-founder of Laylanta Seafood Co., Ltd.
The main areas for improvement identified are: water quality monitoring, reducing waste and nutrient pollution, improving data collection and record-keeping, promoting biosecurity, and ensuring effective ecosystem management.
For its part, Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park will support the initiative by making responsible and sustainable purchases, which will generate demand for improved products.
"Responsible seafood sourcing is central to our sustainability commitment, and this agreement with Laylanta and ASC reflects our responsibility to support traceable, responsibly farmed seafood," added Stephen Doe, Cluster Director of Culinary at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park.
