A testament to the industry’s dedication to responsible seafood production and sourcing, even during difficult times, the Global Seafood Alliance’s (GSA) Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) third-party certification program grew 8.6 percent last year, ending 2021 with 3,169 BAP-certified facilities in six continents and 39 countries, up from 2,918 BAP-certified facilities at the end of 2020.
In another year wrought with challenges and disruptions brought on by the pandemic, only 187 BAP-certified facilities dropped from the program last year, resulting in a retention rate of 93.6 percent in 2021, up from 91 percent in 2020. That’s the highest that it’s been in at least five years, when the retention rate ranged from 89 percent to 91 percent. Additionally, 540 facilities became BAP certified for the first time.
“Our retention rate really speaks to aquaculture producers’ commitment to the full spectrum of sustainability, whether it’s environmental and social responsibility, animal health and welfare or food safety. They continue to be challenged by supply chain disruptions, labor shortages and inflation, yet despite these headaches they remain steadfast in their belief that their businesses can’t grow responsibly without the third-party assurances that certification programs like BAP provide,” said GSA CEO Brian Perkins. “I’d like to thank our endorsers up and down the seafood value chain, including retailers and foodservice operators, for continuing to support us and the work that we do.”
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