Arbiom constructing first plant in France; Direct Source Seafood joins NFI Crab Council

SeafoodSource is closely following the sustainable seafood movement by compiling a regular round-up of sector updates pertaining to eco-certifications.

 - Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A.-based agricultural biotechnology company Arbiom announced on 9 June it has broken ground on its first facility in France. The firm, which has developed a process for turning agricultural and wood residues into its SylPro protein ingredient for aquafeed, is building its new plant in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region of France, with a planned production capacity of 10,000 metric tons (MT) per year. The plant is expected to open in 2024. The project has 17 commercial partners covering the entire food and feed value chain from feedstock manufacturers to retailers, and is co-funded by the Circular Bio-Based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU), a public-private partnership between the European Commission and the Bio-based Industries Consortium.

"We are convinced that collaborating with strong market partners of the feed and food sectors will enable to accelerate the development of next generation ingredients," Arbiom Vice President of Business Development Amélie Drouault said.

- On 13 June, the National Fisheries Institute’s Crab Council announced Direct Source Seafood has become the 25th member company to join the council. The company sources products from Argentina to Asia and will contribute to six fishery improvement projects operated by the group in Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.

“Outside of quality, we’ve always been a company that looks at emerging markets and technology, when it comes to sourcing,” Direct Source Seafood CEO Roman Tkachenko said in a release. “This is the same operational model we see the NFI Crab Council using when it comes to sustainability. They’re investing in science and looking ahead to the next target. That’s the type of pre-competitive collaboration we want to be a part of.”

-The Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA) has been chosen as the recipient of the Gulf of Maine Council's 2023 Industry Award. The company works to enhance ocean sustainability and environmental equality, with efforts focused on the Gulf of Maine. The award was presented to ACFFA Executive Director Susan Farquharson on 7 June in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. in recognition of her group's innovation and leadership in advancing the interests of protecting and conserving the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and its communities. 

“ACFFA is honored to be recognized by the council for our lead role coordinating, communicating, and supporting the continuing innovation that has resulted in our region’s salmon farming sector being recognized as global leaders in sustainable and environmentally responsible finfish production,” Farquharson said. “Earning this award in conjunction with World Oceans Day reaffirms our commitment to ocean sustainability and continued action in our own region to preserve our ocean.”

- The Aquaculture Stewardship Council has expanded its presence to South Korea to optimize aquaculture innovation in Asia. The organization announced the completion of its first international auditor course in South Korea on 14 June. The certification course was held in Mokpo, South Korea, to unite instructors potential auditors, and industry experts from South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia, ASC posted on its LinkedIn page. Over three days, participants engaged in theoretical training, practical case studies, and group discussions. They also had the opportunity to visit Wando County, home to numerous ASC-certified abalone and seaweed farms.

In additional efforts to increase South Korea’s aquaculture presence, ASC has been working closely with the country to meet the increasing demand for responsible aquaculture across Asia and optimize productivity in the region for farmed seafood.

In December 2022, ASC hired Martin Lee to manage its efforts to expand its work in South Korea. There are now 73 ASC-certified farm sites in South Korea, 28 seaweed farms, 44 abalone farms, and 1 shrimp farm, the organization said in a press release. The highest quantity of ASC-labeled seaweed and abalone products are farmed in South Korea.

Photo courtesy of ASC