Barramundi Group Australia lodges plan for responsible growth

Barramundi Group Australia (BGA) has announced plans to expand its barramundi operation off the West Kimberley Coast.

Image credit: Michael Coghlan on Flickr
(CC BY-SA 2.0)

Barramundi Group Australia, the trading name of Marine Produce Australia, has announced its 10-year project which is expected to have a capital spend of around $350 million, with significant expenditure into the local economy, including creating 350-400 direct jobs and local business opportunities for the region as production increases.

The project plan has been submitted to relevant authorities, including the Environmental Protection Authority.

Barramundi Group chief executive officer Andreas von Scholten says the company had been collaborating with environmental consultants for several years to develop a strategy to sustainably grow production in the region over the next decade. The plan considers best management practices including fallowing, biosecurity, and a scale-up process at a rate that allows adaptive management.

'A strategy underpinned by environmental custodianship leads to fantastic product quality, good fish welfare and consistent and sustainable production without compromising the pristine environment in which we operate,' Mr von Scholten says.

'BGA is proud of its 18-year history, environmental credentials, and track record in the region. The learnings from our current operation have given us the confidence that we can grow in harmony with local flora and fauna, enhance biosecurity and provide even more jobs and opportunities for local communities in this remote part of Australia.'

'We are consulting with our stakeholders in the Kimberley region, including the Traditional Owners who have native title over this area.'

'We have identified 13 marine sites that will ultimately allow us to sustainably expand to a capacity of 30,000 tonnes production annually. We are also proposing to develop three land-based fish nurseries and a processing facility in the region.'

'Our vision is to be considered leaders in the field, and to also apply innovative technologies to our operations. Most importantly, we want the communities that we support to be proud of us as a producer, employer, and partner.'

'As barramundi producers, we are always searching for ways to continuously improve and have processes within our business to support adaptive management and third-party certifications. This gives our customers and the community confidence that we are upholding best practices in food safety, environmental responsibility, social accountability, and animal health and welfare.'

'Our current operation is certified by Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), a trusted and proven thirdparty aquaculture certification program. BAP brings comprehensive end-to-end certification, auditing each step of our production chain.'

'We pride ourselves on not just the quality of our product, which we supply to more than 1600 restaurants and retailers worldwide, but also our commitment to our local community, and our environment.'

For more information visit the Barramundi website, HERE. 

The Aquaculturists

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