The first finfish farm in the United States to achieve Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification is Blue Ocean Mariculture, according to an 8 February announcement.
The firm’s Hawaii farm – which produces almaco jack (seriola rivoliana), branded as Hawaiian kanpachi – has been certified against the ASC's seriola and cobia standard. Blue Ocean’s Hawaiian kanpachi is raised in open-ocean pens in the waters near the Big Island of Hawaii, close to Kona. The fish is lauded by chefs, particularly for its application in sushi.
Independent conformity assessment body SCS Global Services conducted Blue Ocean Mariculture’s multi-day audit, which measured the farm’s water-quality maintenance in and around pens; its ability to minimize escapes; its responsible sourcing of feed; how it pays and treats workers; and its status as a responsible neighbor to nearby communities, ASC said in a press release.
“This exciting news is a testament to the hard work of Blue Ocean Mariculture. There is a vibrant and growing aquaculture industry in the U.S., and it’s so important that it grows in an environmentally and socially responsible way, which is exactly what ASC certification is about,” ASC U.S. Market Development Manager Kathleen McDavitt said. “We know that U.S. consumers are increasingly looking to make more environmentally conscientious decisions, and farms like Blue Ocean Mariculture are giving them the option to do this while also buying local.”
Blue Ocean CEO Dick Jones said the certification distinction provides further assurance to the company’s sustainability-minded customer base that its products are high-quality and responsibly reared.
“Our Hawaiian kanpachi is grown in the spirit of Aloha ‘Āina, which respects all living things. Our audit to the ASC standard reinforces our commitment to the highest level of performance at our farm, and when combined with the unparalleled quality and freshness of our fish, we can only deliver the best eating experience possible to our discerning customers,” Jones said.
The achievement is not just a milestone for Blue Ocean, but the U.S. as well, according to SCS Global Services Aquaculture Program Manager Adam Daddino.
“SCS applauds Blue Ocean Mariculture for achieving this notable landmark and becoming the first ASC-certified finfish aquaculture farm in the United States. We are happy to see the growth of aquaculture in the United States. Based on our rigorous third-party assessment, Blue Ocean Mariculture has demonstrated [it is] ready to help lead the U.S. forward with environmentally and socially responsible farming practices,” Daddino said.
Blue Ocean Mariculture began operation in 2009, and it has grown its facility since to cover the entire production of Hawaiian kanpachi. The company operates an onshore hatchery linked to submersible open-ocean pens, where the fish are grown. Sushi manufacturers, among other businesses, are major clients for the firm’s kanpachi, which is Japanese for “center eight,” a reference to the distinctive bands over the eyes of the young fish, ASC said.
Photo courtesy of Blue Ocean Mariculture
