Regal Springs, one of the world’s largest premium tilapia producers, has experienced a surge in global demand for the smaller, hardier warm water species, and it is set to sit amongst the UK’s current favourites salmon and cod.
The sustainably raised fish has proven to be great for forming part of a healthy balanced diet as it is high in protein but low in calories, fats and cholesterol. This makes it the ideal choice for consumers looking to incorporate fish into their diets or seeking lighter meals. Similar to its counterparts, tilapia is well known for being a versatile fish which can be easily prepared and used in most recipes.
With significant advances being made in the fishing market globally it has become a precondition for many UK supermarkets to only stock responsibly sourced products. Demands for sustainable sourcing is growing and consumers and retailers alike want to feel confident that the fish they are buying is humanely stunned at harvest. Research has shown that nine in ten global consumer prioritise buying from companies that have ethical sourcing strategies in place with 83% willing to spend more on a product if they are certain (OpenText, 2021).
Driven by a desire to continuously develop welfare, feed initiatives and low impact and low-density lake farming best-practices, Regal Springs has collaborated with aquaculture technology specialists Ace Aquatec to use their in-water stunner. This ensures Regal Springs tilapia is harvested humanely and effectively. The new stunning technology has helped Regal Springs to streamline their operations whilst coping with the growing commercial demands in a sustainable way.
Petra Weigl, Regal Springs’ Managing Director for Europe stated: “Sustainability has been at the heart of our Regal Springs business since the beginning over 30 years ago and in the spirit of continuous improvement we stand proud of pioneering new ways here with fish welfare; our new technology not only ensures better treatment of the fish but helps deliver a superior quality product through reduced stress levels in the catchment process. Of course, retailers can be confident in accessing the very best in Tilapia fish protein made viable through the way we raise and now harvest the fish - our ASC and BAP certifications being testament to the quality we offer.”
Nathan Pyne-Carter, CEO of Ace Aquatec added:“Over the past few years, we’ve seen tilapia continue to gain a lot of global traction so we’re delighted to be working alongside Regal Springs who share the ethos of responsibly safeguarding fish welfare.
“Global exports for Ace Aquatec’s in-water electric stunning system haven grown rapidly across the UK, Europe and APAC in both sea-based and land-based facilities. It not only reduces stress to the fish at the point of harvest but improves fish welfare and overall product quality. UK consumers can have peace of mind knowing that the tilapia reared by Regal Springs has been raised to the highest standards.”
