Two Icelandic salmon farms have become the first in Europe to achieve the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA)'s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification.
Fjardalax ehf's salmon farm sites in Iceland, Patreksfjörðu and Tálknafjörður, are situated in the West Fjords of Iceland, in three adjacent fjords, Tálknafjörður, Patreksfjörður and Arnarfjörður. The farms have been operating since 2010, with fish processed at the company's plant in Patreksfjörður. The company sells its product to Europe, the United States and Japan under the Arctic Salmon brand.
"As a fairly young company, operating in the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic, we feel that this is a great marketing opportunity for us," said Höskuldur Steinarsson, the company's general manager. "The remoteness of our locations and the sheer distance from market makes it a pure necessity for us to produce salmon that stands out. Our ambition has therefore always been to focus on markets that respect our product as unique."
The certification marks a first for BAP salmon farming certification in Europe, according to the GAA.
"The certification of Icelandic salmon farms is a key milestone for the BAP program within Europe," said Peter Redmond, BAP's VP of business development. "We welcome Arctic Salmon as the first of many farms in Europe to be certified to the GAA's Best Aquaculture Practices certification standards, and commend the leadership role that the company has assumed within the industry."
