Yumbah Aquaculture, Australia's first BAP-certified oyster producer

The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) announced that Australia-based vertically integrated shellfish farming company Yumbah Aquaculture has become the first oyster producer to achieve Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification in the country. The announcement comes just days after unveiling Japan's first BAP-certified oyster producer.

GSA is an international, nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy, and third-party assurances, and Best Aquaculture Practices is its certification program for safe, responsible, and ethical farmed seafood.

In addition, BAP is also the only aquaculture certification program in the world that certifies every step of the production chain, hence the satisfaction of David Wood, CEO of Yumbah Aquaculture, after achieving the BAP label for their oysters.

"Becoming the first oyster producer in the country to achieve BAP certification is a proud moment for Yumbah," he said.  "It reflects the work of our staff who keep the business at the forefront of responsible seafood, delivering premium Australian oysters to the world. It's a great way to show the standards we work towards every day, producing oysters responsibly and sustainably."

The Australian shellfish farming company, which supplies both domestic and international markets, produces multiple species of shellfish - including oysters, abalone, and mussels - at farms located in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales, where it expanded its presence following its merger with Eyre Peninsula Seafoods in 2023.

Of these, Yumbah Aquaculture has now obtained Best Aquaculture Practices certification for its oyster farms in Tasmania, located in Boomer Bay, Eaglehawk Neck, and St Helens.

"Yumbah's BAP certification reflects a strong commitment to responsible aquaculture," Dr. Belinda Yaxley, Country Coordinator for Australia and New Zealand at GSA, said, commenting on the achievement. "It's a clear signal of leadership in the shellfish sector and an encouraging step forward for certified oyster production in Australia."

Good news follows good news for Yumbah, as just this week, Clean Seas Seafood shareholders voted in favor of the proposed merger between the two companies. If the transaction is completed, the shellfish aquaculture company will take on finfish farming activities for the first time.