The local aquaculture industry is facing two major challenges: competition with imported aquatic food products and the lack of consumer confidence in fish and seafood.
Due to the high production costs locally, competition with imported aquatic food products by price is impossible. Improving the quality of locally produced aquaculture products, together with a product quality assurance system, is a promising way for local farms to compete with imported goods instead.
With heightened public awareness of food safety, quality assured aquaculture products can hopefully regain consumer confidence. In this regard, we have formulated an "Accredited Fish Farm Scheme" in a bid to promote the sustainable development of the local aquaculture industry.
The voluntary "Accredited Fish Farm Scheme" has been launched to assist local fish farmers to increase the competitiveness of their aquaculture products and to provide quality and safe aquaculture products to the public. Its specific aims are as follows:-
i. To enhance the quality of local aquaculture products by introducing "Good Aquaculture Practices" to local fish farms;
ii. To increase transparency of production process by standardization of processes in order to gain consumer confidence in local aquaculture products;
iii. To highlight the safety of local aquaculture products by introducing pre-marketing product tests; and
iv. To make local aquaculture products stand out by branding.