Truchas Belmira S.A.S. is the world’s first rainbow trout processing plant to earn Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance announced in early March.
Located in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia, the facility processed 360 metric tons of trout last year and is expected to process 800 metric tons of fish this year. Truchas Belmira operates six trout farms near Medellín.
Founded in 1993, the company specializes in fresh trout, selling whole fish, butterflied fish and fillets to retail and foodservice customers primarily in the United States, with Columbia representing about 10% of total sales.
“I’m proud to achieve BAP certification. With this certification our customers can be more confident that our products are being processed under the highest quality standards,” said Crisanto Montagut, president of Truchas Belmira. “Being the first company to receive BAP certification for rainbow trout puts us in front of the industry and gives us a great responsibility to continue to improve our operations for the benefit of our customers.”
Attaining BAP certification will allow the company to expand its sales in the United States,” added Montagut.
The completion of the BAP finfish and crustacean farm standards in April 2013 opened up the BAP certification program to a number of finfish and crustacean species not previously covered, including rainbow trout. Sea bass, sea bream, cobia, seriola, grouper, barramundi, perch, carp, flounder, turbot and striped bass are among the others.
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. For more information on BAP, visit www.gaalliance.org/bap.
Source: Global Aquaculture Alliance
