Frozen oysters in shell are the main product of Harimanada Co. and will now include the BAP label.
Photo: Harimanada Co., Ltd.
The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announced that Harimanada Co., Ltd. - a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maru Uo Fisheries Co., Ltd. located in the Harima Sea, in the southwest of Hyogo Prefecture - has become the first Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certified oyster producer in Japan.
"Attaining BAP certification for the first time in the oyster industry in Japan is a significant milestone for our company," said Hiroyasu Nagara, President and CEO of Harimanada Co. "Building on our ISO 22000 certification and government designation as a flagship production area, we're expanding globally to deliver responsible, delicious oysters to Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe," he continued.
According to GSA's release on achieving BAP certification, the Harima Sea offers a unique environment for oyster farming. Its nutrient-rich waters from five rivers known as the 'Harima Gosen', which flow into it producing large populations of phytoplankton, make it a perfect location for this shellfish species farming, as oysters develop fully in a single year, rather than the typical two to three years of growth.
Thus, Harimanada Co. harvests oysters from January to May, during the peak season, and then freezes them for year-round consumption. Frozen oysters in shell are the main product of the company, which exports them to Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and other countries.
Harimanada Co., Ltd. processing plant.
Photo: Harimanada Co., Ltd.
On its website, the company says that in February 2023, it installed new continuous proton freezers, which dramatically increased production efficiency, and just two months later, in April of that same year, it achieved the ISO22000 certification to which its CEO alluded.
"Our team remains committed to continuous improvement, quality and to advancing the oyster industry with your continued support," its President and CEO, Hiroyasu Nagara, commented. Now, the Global Seafood Alliance has highlighted that Harimanada Co. has achieved its BAP label precisely with the certification of its processing plant.
"We applaud Harimanada Co., Ltd. for becoming the first oyster company to attain BAP certification in Japan," said for her part Denise Gurshin, Senior Director of Market Development in Asia (excluding China) for the GSA. "This achievement is a testament to their commitment to environmental stewardship and responsible practices. We look forward to seeing their continued leadership in driving positive change in the industry and supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)," she added.
The Global Seafood Alliance is an international, nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy, and third-party assurances. Best Aquaculture Practices is its certification program for safe, responsible, and ethical farmed seafood, and the only aquaculture certification program in the world that certifies every step of the production chain.
After achieving this certification, in addition to being the first BAP-certified oyster producer in Japan, Harimanada Co. will join the more than 4,000 BAP-certified facilities listed by the GSA in its latest Annual Report, published in September 2024
