At Gümüşdoğa, sustainability is an approach towards the planet, animals, and workers. Therefore, Gümüşdoğa Aquaculture carries out its activities with an environmentally friendly perspective by reducing the environmental impacts of its fish farming and production activities at every step.
Friend of the Sea®, a project of the World Sustainability Organization, has recognized and verified Gümüşdoğa’s commitment and therefore certified its Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and Seabream (Sparus aurata).
Founded in 2008 by Paolo Bray, the international certification Friend of the Sea® has become the leading global standard for products (food and non-food) and services that respect and protect the ocean and its resources. Friend of the Sea® certification program for sustainable fish farming provides a tool for the aquaculture industry to develop in respect of the marine environment. Therefore it offers consumers accurate information on sustainable production methods for their seafood choices.
Established in 1997 in the Milas district of Muğla province of Turkey by Halil Gümüşel, Gümüşdoğa has become Turkey’s leading fish farmer, aquaculture exporter, and feed producer.
What makes Gümüşdoğa distinctive in the fish farming sector is its continuous updating toward sustainable practices and environmental-friendly activities. With the training Gümüşdoğa gives to all its employees, it creates and develops awareness of sustainable production and farming. In addition, it systematically conducts seawater and benthic analyses and has ensured the waste discharge water management in the processing plant. It tracks CO2 emissions from production and services, in order to reduce these amounts. Also, the company aims to continuously develop and improve sustainability practices by reviewing all stages of its activities.
At the end of the process, Gümüşdoğa assures an exceptional freshness a consumer can feel, taste and see from the fish’s bright and unique color.
“We are working towards protecting natural resources and ecological species with a sustainable approach. Therefore, we try to classify natural creatures where production and breeding activities are located to check whether they are in the group of extinct or endangered species, to investigate the effects of our activities and not to harm them”, said İlkim Funda DAĞHAN, Quality Control Manager.
“We aim to protect the welfare and all social rights of our employees and to implement occupational health and safety measures completely. Likewise, we promote the concept of environmental and social responsibility in our subcontractors and suppliers”, she added.
“Not only Gümüşdoğa conducts a responsible farming operation according to Friend of the Sea standards, but it also has a broader commitment to protecting the environment and workers’ rights. We at Friend of the Sea are proud they’re going to show our logo on the Seabass and Seabream packaging,” commented Paolo Bray, Founder, and Director of Friend of the Sea.
