Norway Plant Earns First BAP Salmon-Processing Certification in Europe

January, 2013

The Global Aquaculture Alliance announced in mid-January that Norway’s Vikenco AS is Europe’s first salmon-processing plant to achieve Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification.

Vikenco’s facility, located in Norway’s Romsdal region, in the northern part of western Norway, recently received BAP certification.

Currently, Vikenco is Europe’s only processing plant with BAP certification.

“To meet increasing demands from existing customers and to enter new markets, Vikenco in recent years has had a strong focus on quality management in all levels of business,” said Line Skov Pettersen, the company’s quality assurance manager. “Through determined effort and a strong focus in all areas, Vikenco is proud to be the first European salmon producer to obtain BAP certification. This is a great achievement and enables Vikenco to provide safe quality salmon to an increasingly quality-conscious market.”

The Vikenco facility processes 24,000 metric tons of Atlantic salmon and salmon trout annually. Product forms include fresh and frozen whole fish, fillets and portions, as well as fresh steaks and frozen belly. The company also produces organic Atlantic salmon.

Norway, Europe and the United States are the main markets for Vikenco salmon.

Established in 1973, Vikenco is a salmon-farming pioneer and is now a fully integrated salmon producer. The company is part of SalMar, one of the world’s largest salmon producers.

“We are delighted to see Vikenco come through the BAP certification process. This is a great achievement, and, for the BAP program, a milestone in that it is also our first certified salmon facility in Europe,” said Peter Redmond, BAP vice president of development. “As the BAP program grows in importance and resonance within Europe, it is critical that we see producers like Vikenco coming forward and taking a strong stand such as this. We applaud their effort.”

About BAP
Best Aquaculture Practices is an international certification program based on achievable, science-based and continuously improved performance standards for the entire aquaculture supply chain — farms, hatcheries, processing plants and feed mills — that assure healthful foods produced through environmentally and socially responsible means. BAP certification is based on independent audits that evaluate compliance with the BAP standards developed by the Global Aquaculture Alliance.