Skretting Japan's Imari plant has become the country's first feed mill to receive certification from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).
Located in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu, Skretting's Imari Plant produces feed for species including salmon, freshwater trout, seabass and bream, meager, seriola, cobia and tropical marine finfish.
Skretting has invested €15 million ($16m) in recent months to upgrade the plant's production line and add enhanced analytical capabilities, Undercurrent News previously reported.
The certification provides Skretting customers with ASC-certified farms access to compliant feed ahead of the October 31, 2025, deadline to make the conversion if they wish to maintain their certifications. Last year, ASC extended the transition period for ASC-certified farms to switch to ASC-compliant feed from January 2025 in order to give more feed mills time to get certified and provide aquaculture firms a longer adjustment period in making changes to their feed supply chains.
"Having Skretting as Japan's first ASC-certified feed mill is a significant milestone for responsible seafood farming here. Their certification signals a commitment to sustainable feed production, arriving at a crucial time," said Koji Yamamoto, general manager for ASC Japan.
The ASC feed certification required Skretting to formalize a more standardized approach to due diligence, improve its supplier assessments, investigate the legal, environmental and social risks presented by its upstream supply chain and communicate any concerns to its suppliers.
"Obtaining ASC feed certification ... not only reinforces our commitment to continuous improvement but also marks a significant milestone for Japan's aquaculture industry. This certification is not a final goal but the beginning of a more sustainable future," said Gihyeon Park, general manager at Skretting Japan. "We take great pride in the team that made this achievement possible and believe that this milestone will serve as a catalyst for the development of Japan's seafood farming industry, helping Japanese seafood align more closely with global standards."
Skretting previously attained AS feed certification for its feed mills in Chile and Ecuador.
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