The Belize Shrimp Cluster Association, representing 90% of Belize’s shrimp production, earned certification from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) last year, setting the bar high for shrimp producers in the region.
With WWF’s support and accompaniment, members of Belize’s Shrimp Growers Association, which account for 90% of the country’s shrimp production, were certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). Belize has thus become the first country in the world to be awarded a certification of this type for such a large portion of its national production.
The success that it has achieved does not stop there, since another three firms in that country’s shrimp sector have expressed their interest in being certified, which would further increase certification to 98% of Belize’s shrimp production. Additionally, Belize’s first tilapia farm was also certified, owing to its responsible aquaculture operations.
This good example has also had a positive impact in Honduras, where five shrimp farms gathered under the “Granjas Marinas” group were audited as part of the process toward achieving ASC certification.