With interest in responsible aquaculture on the rise in Europe and Asia, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has decided to broaden its commercial team with the additions of Marcos Moya as commercial outreach manager based in Spain, and Koji Yamamoto as general manager based in Japan.
By welcoming both Moya and Yamamoto into its ranks, ASC hopes to see its efforts and presence boosted in key the market regions, the certifier said.
“Both Marcos and Koji bring with them a wealth of experience, which will be invaluable in helping to develop greater understanding and uptake of ASC certification in Europe and Asia, and we welcome them to the team,” ASC CEO Chris Ninnes said.
Moya has 30 years of experience leading aquaculture projects across South America, Central America, Africa, North America, and Europe.
“His experience of applying responsible aquaculture practices on the ground, together with his knowledge of best practice in seafood processing and solid understanding of the wider benefits of certification, make him an important addition to the commercial outreach team,” Ninnes said.
Yamamoto spent two decades working in the aquaculture sector in both Asia and Europe. Recently relocated back to Japan, Yamamoto will be in charge of building the ASC program within the Japanese market.
“In addition to engaging directly with retailers and others, Koji will help aquaculture farms move towards more socially and environmentally responsible practices,” Ninnes said.
Previously, Yamamoto spent time working with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) supporting small-scale aquaculture projects in South and Southeast Asia; he was also involved in developing the FAO Technical Guideline on aquaculture certification. Earlier in his career, the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia and the Pacific (NACA) entrusted Yamamoto in coordinating projects and field implementations on better management practices (BMPs) and cluster farming approaches to support small-scale aquaculture farmers.
“I am keen to build on the excellent foundations laid by key partners and to help the Japanese aquaculture industry and the wider market to improve overall sustainability and work towards relevant Millennium Development Goals,” Yamamoto said.
ASC also recently added support for key stakeholders in central Europe with the hire of Anne-Marie Kats, who recently joined the organization as the commercial marketing manager for the Netherlands, Belgium and France. ASC also hired sustainability industry veteran Roy Van Daatselaar as its new producer support manager earlier this year. According to Ninnes, each hire allows for ASC to both deepen existing connections as well as expand its reach.
“We are entering an exciting time in our development. It is as critical as ever that we continue to be responsive to both the needs of the market and our many stakeholders. Expanding our team allows us to engage with our existing and potential partners more effectively while delivering on an ambitious strategy to further improve the aquatic environment and ensure that farms operate in a manner that benefits their workers and the community,” Ninnes said.
