Another Australian Salmon Farm Nets BAP Certification

September, 2014

Petuna Aquaculture Pty. Ltd.’s Atlantic salmon farm site in Strahan, Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania, has earned Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced in late September.

Called Table Head, the site, located on Tasmania’s west coast, attained certification on Aug. 29. Van Diemen Aquaculture Pty. Ltd., a privately owned company in which Petuna owns a share, earned BAP certification for its Atlantic salmon farm site in northern Tasmania in April.

“Petuna has always been very strong on environmental and social responsibility. It’s the cornerstone of our founders, Peter’s and Una’s, beliefs,” said Petuna CEO Mark Porter. “BAP certification formalizes these credentials and provides an accreditation with global recognition. Having achieved BAP certification is a great achievement for the whole team and stands Petuna in an elite group of companies throughout the world.”

Petuna is Tasmania’s largest mixed-seafood provider, rearing Atlantic salmon and ocean trout in Macquarie Harbour in western Tasmania. The company said it plans to pursue BAP certification for its Liberty Point ocean trout farm site and Cressy hatchery. Petuna farms approximately 5,000 metric tons of salmon annually. The company produces whole fish, fillets and hot- and cold-smoked fish products. It sells its products domestically and exports to Asia, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.

The company’s head office, processing facility and distribution facility are located in East Devonport, Tasmania. The company was founded by husband-and-wife team Peter and Una Rockliff, who expanded into aquaculture in 1990 after years in commercial fishing. In 2010, Sealord Group Ltd. acquired a 50% interest of Petuna.

About BAP

A division of the Global Aquaculture Alliance, Best Aquaculture Practices is an international certification program based on achievable, science-based and continuously improved performance standards for the entire aquaculture supply chain — farms, hatcheries, processing plants and feed mills — that assure healthful foods produced through environmentally and socially responsible means. BAP certification is based on independent audits that evaluate compliance with the BAP standards developed by the Global Aquaculture Alliance.