Land-based bass and bream farmer is first in France to gain ASC certification
A land-based facility has become the first French seabass and seabream farm to achieve the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Seabream and Seabass standard.
Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale, situated adjacent to the port of Dunkirk, farms fish in concrete ponds using water from the English Channel.
Maxime Engler, ASC France market development manager, said: “As a pioneer, Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale is leading the way and demonstrating that a transparent, and responsible French aquaculture sector can meet the highest environmental and social standards.”
Bastien Riera, deputy chief executive of the Gloria Maris Group, said: “Achieving ASC certification is an important recognition of the work carried out by our teams over many years. This certification reflects our commitment to contributing to the development of a responsible, transparent, and demanding French aquaculture sector.”
The site builds on expertise developed by Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale’s teams since 1982, with a strong focus on farming management and the continuous improvement of practices.
Fish produced at the site are supplied to foodservice professionals, fishmongers, and premium retail markets, with particular attention paid to product quality and traceability.
The ASC certification recognises Gloria Maris Côte d’Opale’s good practices, particularly in the following areas:
Monitoring and reducing environmental impacts;
Managing aquaculture-related discharges;
Protecting surrounding ecosystems;
Responsible management of resources and animal health;
Providing good working conditions.
Gloria Maris Group grew from a 150-tonne marine farm established in Corsica in 1992. It now farms at marine sites in Corsica and Sardinia, and on land in France. The company has been headquartered in Paris since 2018. As well as the land-based farm and hatchery at Gravelines, it owns a turbot pond farm in the Vendée.
