Blue Waters’ sea bream farm in Oman nabs BAP certification

Blue Waters LLC Oman has achieved the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification from the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA).

Blue Waters LLC produces sea bream (Sparus aurata) in the Gulf of Oman, about 100 kilometers south of Muscat. The company was audited against the BAP Farm Standard Issue 3.0 and received its BAP certificate on 15 March, 2022.

The farm has been in operation since 2016 and consists of circular cages off the coast of Qurayyat and is Oman’s first facility to attain BAP certification. The expected production for this year is about 2,350 metric tons, which will be sold as chilled whole fish to retail customers in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Bahrain.

“Achieving the BAP certification is a major achievement, which documents that Blue Waters is an internationally recognized producer of high quality sustainable farmed fish,” Blue Waters CEO Nabeel Al-Ruwaidhi said.

Blue Waters’ fingerlings are currently imported live from hatcheries in Europe, though the company is in the process of building its own hatchery in Oman, scheduled to open in late 2022. Blue Water LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fisheries Development Oman (FDO), which was formed by the Oman Investment Authority (OIA), Oman’s Sovereign Wealth Fund, and in partnership with the Oman Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth (MAFW).

“It is our mission to support a profitable, sustainable and socially responsible seafood industry, and this is a shining example of how industry and science can work together for a profoundly positive outcome,” Blue Waters Quality and Safety Manager Lars Bo Windmar said.

With the certification, the total number of BAP-certified facilities in the Middle East has risen to four – the three other facilities are in Saudi Arabia and include a tilapia farm and hatchery operated by Rasheed Al Ballaa, and a feed mill operated by Maram Feed Mill Co.

In order to achieve the BAP standard, Blue Waters had to demonstrate food safety, and environmental and sustainable excellence. To do this, the company implemented a comprehensive quality management system that included a policy promoting the development of competitive, sustainable aquaculture sector in Oman and a detailed food safety policy that meets recognized safety standards to the satisfaction of consumers.

“Achieving BAP certification has been a goal of Blue Waters and also our valuable customers. We make every effort to go the extra mile for our customers. When something is important to them, we listen and act. It is important for us as a company to understand the demands of an evolving market and stay on top of innovative developments in our industry,” Blue Waters Sales Manager Waleed Al Farsi said.

Photo courtesy of Blue Waters LLC Oman