Seoul, South Korea-based aquaculture company Raon Bada has been awarded an Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification for its olive flounder, the first such certification made to any farmer of the species. 

“Raon Bada will lead the way in preserving the environment through sustainable farming technology and providing reliable seafood to consumers,” CEO Yoon Ji-hyun said in a release. 

Raon Bada is also the first South Korean company to implement a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) for olive flounder farming. This technology has allowed the company to reduce water use and transition to antibiotic- and chemical-free farming methods, which involve eco-friendly feeding compounds, according to the firm.

"Farmed seafood is a crucial resource for blue food and [the] blue economy," ASC Korea General Manager Martin (Sooyong) Lee said. "We are entering an era where production occurs without antibiotics and chemicals, instead using eco-friendly feed and systematic disease management. This farming method will play a vital role in creating a sustainable future that fulfills economic, social, and environmental responsibilities." 

The Korean market has already responded to the certification; Conrad Seoul, a local subsidiary of hotel chain Hilton, signed a preferential purchasing agreement with Raon Bada after the ASC certification was announced. The hotel chain is in the process of transitioning to using 100 percent sustainable seafood, having increased its usage from 4 percent in 2018 to almost 40 percent in 2024. 

“Hilton takes its environmental and social responsibilities very seriously,” Hilton Korea General Manager Mark Meany said of the preferential agreement with Raon Bada. 

Olive flounder has become extremely popular in recent years in East Asia. South Korea is the world’s leading producer of the fish, which makes up 65 percent of the nation’s farmed fish and 50 percent of all fish production in the nation. 

“This ASC certification is just the first step, and we will continue to elevate Korea’s position in the global seafood market through innovative technology and responsible farming practies,” Yoon said. 

Source - https://www.seafoodsource.com