Friend of the Sea on top of Dolomites as Astro trouts get certified sustainable.

Family owned Astro farming sites passed renewal audit for the Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis), the Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and the Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) production confirming Friend of the Sea certification first obtained in 2009.
 

Astro is a mutual company representing and coordinating different single producers all established in the Dolomites mountains’ area. This area, in the North East of Italy, now Unesco World Natural Heritage site, is the main production area in Italy, with a tradition of trout farming dating back to 1879.The longstanding aquaculture tradition in the Trentino region could represent enough evidence of sustainability of production. Italian trouts are exported mainly to Germany, Austria and Switzerland but also to a number of other internal markets. 
 

Each single producer has been audited and all were found in conformity with all Friend of the Sea sustainable seafood requirements. Water parameters information is provided via computer and made available both to the single company as well as to the cooperative's headquarter. In particular, Astro Cooperative itself monitors compliance with specific water parameters which allow the trouts to be branded as ‘Trentino’ quality. Birds entanglement and fish escapes are prevented by means of appropriate grids, with suitable size and texture. The farmed species cannot possibly reproduce in the wild and does not represent a danger for the local population. The Trentino trouts are free of GMO and hormones. The fish feed originates only from fisheries approved by Friend of the Sea. 
 

Accurate documents report all batch movements in order to avoid mixing of certified and not certified products. “Astro and the producers we represent in Trentino are deeply committed to sustainability and we are very happy that this international certification once more validates our efforts” comments Mr Diego Coller – Director of Astro. 
 

“Aquaculture is gaining a growing importance in the international seafood market, and we’re proud to have “awarded” Astro, once more, for their top quality products”, adds Paolo Bray, Director of Friend of the Sea.