By: Usmawati Anggita Sakti (Communication Assistant Seafood Savers)

One of WWF-Indonesia's assisted companies has once again achieved the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) fisheries ecolabel certification for vannamei shrimp (Litopenaus vannamei). In early March 2018, the ASC released the certificate for the farming unit of PT Tiwandi Sempana, which supplies PT Bumi Menara Internusa. PT Bumi Menara Internusa or commonly abbreviated as PT BMI is a company that produces seafood ranging from fresh shrimp and crab products to various types of seafood in East Java. With the issuance of this certification, PT Tiwandi Sempana and PT Bumi Menara Internusa have received international recognition for their commitment to conduct and support responsible shrimp farming practices.

PT Tiwandi Sempana obtained certification for 204 tons/year of Vanamei shrimp registered in Melati Hamlet, Pesisir Village, Sumber Asih District, Probolinggo, East Java with an area of 9 Ha and a total of 17 ponds. In its farming practices, PT Tiwandi Sempana uses intensive farming methods with supplementary (artificial) feeding and a wheel as a land aerator.

Included in the Seafood Savers program in October 2016, PT Tiwandi Sempana's aquaculture process as a supplier to PT BMI has been undergoing improvements or Aquaculture Improvement Program (AIP) for one and a half years to finally achieve certification for its location unit. Improvement activities related to cultivation & environment include rehabilitation of surrounding ecosystems, cultivation methods that do not harm biodiversity, seed traceability, traceability of feed raw material sources, treatment of waste, garbage and sediment disposal and use of water and energy. In addition, various activities related to social responsibility are carried out by improving the employee management system, while responsibility for the community is carried out through the prevention of social conflict and increased interaction with the community.

"The farms submitted for ASC certification are intensive vannamei farms, which have received other aquaculture certifications. The improvements that have been made are not many, and are more directed towards activities that demonstrate environmental responsibility and social responsibility of the land and shrimp farming operations carried out. Mangrove planting was carried out along the beachfront for a total of 4.5 hectares," said Wahju Subachri, Senior Aquaculture Officer WWF-Indonesia.

This achievement proves that local farms are able to meet international standards of sustainable vannamei shrimp farming in environmental and socio-cultural aspects. Shrimp farming that has obtained ASC is expected to contribute to the development of a sustainable aquaculture sector. This is also supported by the company's commitment with the certification to support good farming practices to maintain food safety standards, quality and of course sustainability.

"Congratulations to PT BMI and PT Tiwandi for achieving ASC certification for their registered farming units. We reiterate that ASC is given only to this cultivation unit, not all suppliers of this company. Going forward, we hope that the ecosystem rehabilitation that has been carried out can continue to be maintained and managed properly, and that both companies can improve their environmental performance. Environmental commitment cannot be shown if on the one hand the company improves the environment, but on the other hand it still damages the environment," Cut Desyana, WWF-Indonesia's National Aquaculture Coordinator.