By: Usmawati Anggita Sakti (Seafood Savers Communication Assistant)

Following other fishing companies that have joined Seafood Savers, PT IAMBEU Mina Utama joined the improvement program by registering its farmed reef fish. By enrolling in the Seafood Savers membership in 2017, PT IAMBEU Mina Utama officially became a member on December 6, 2017.

The inauguration of the membership was done through the signing of two documents, namely the MoU and Cooperation Agreement in Jakarta. The MoU was signed by I Gusti Eman Himawan as CEO of the company and Rizal Malik, CEO of WWF-Indonesia, while the Cooperation Agreement was signed by the CEO of the company and Wawan Ridwan, Director of Coral Triangle Program, WWF-Indonesia.

Through this signing, the process of farming white snapper (Lates calcarifer) and grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) will be carried out in accordance with the principles of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) for five years or until certification is obtained. All improvement activities are based on a mutually agreed action plan.

This Bali-based company is engaged in the cultivation of reef fish, such as white snapper, cantang grouper, sunuk grouper, lemadang, kaci-kaci and tuna in loin form. Established in 1998, apart from being a producer, the company is also an active supplier of seafood for hotels and restaurants on the Island of the Gods Bali for its export markets in various countries, including Europe, Russia, China, Korea and Vietnam.

With its vision "Healthy fish for the nation's children" which is realized with the mission "Help improve the quality of the nation's children and serve the community with the best fish", PT IAMBEU Mina Utama is determined to preserve Indonesia's marine resources. This then becomes the company's biggest motivation to realize sustainable fisheries. This commitment is then proven through the responsible aquaculture program Aquaculture Improvement Program (AIP) which refers to ASC certification in the Seafood Savers scheme, WWF-Indonesia.

The company enrolled the farms of its supplier PT Bali Baramundi to implement AIP for its two commodities. PT Bali Baramundi operates its farm using intensive methods located in Banjar Dinas Yeh Biu, Patas Village, Gerokgak District, Buleleng Regency, Bali.

All improvement activities are based on a mutually agreed action plan which will be carried out jointly by both parties. Seafood Savers WWF-Indonesia targets that the AIP will run as designed until the company can finally get ASC certification.