October 2013
| Business World Magazine | 107
dards, shrimp hatchery standards, feed
mill standards and more. Hedlund says
standards have evolved from 2003 when
the GAA designed the industry first set
of standards for shrimp farming. Today,
the GAA has been critical in certifying
some 600 aquaculture operations around
the world, collectively representing more
than a million metric tons of products an-
nually supplied to markets in Asia, Eu-
rope and North America.
Hedlund expects demand for safe and
sustainable sourcing to increase because
demand for seafood is increasing. “We’re
seeing significant growth in Asia where
the middle class is booming. As their
economy increases, many upgrade their
diet and demand more seafood,” says
Hedlund. “Studies have shown that there
will soon be a need to annually supply an
additional 40 metric tons of seafood for
consumers, but wild fisheries can’t ac-
commodate that growth, only aquaculture
is capable of fulfilling that demand.”
And to Hedlund’s point, as aquaculture
moves to satiate the appetite of seafood
lovers, the GAA will continue working to
differentiate the providers that meet that
demand through safe, socially and envi-
ronmentally sensitive practices.
To learn more about the programs and
research supported by the Global Aqua-
cultureAlliance, as well as the Best Aqua-
culture Practices certification program,
visit the Alliance’s website at
-
liance.org.
J & Binh Vietfish Seminar Jun 2013
