ASC Appoints New Representative in Brazil

UTRECHT, 26 February 2013 – Today the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) announced that it has appointed Laurent Viguié as its new representative in Brazil. Viguié, who has been representing the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in Brazil for over two years, has an aquaculture background. He was the co-founder of ‘No Catch’, the ground breaking brand from Shetland that introduced organically farmed cod to the market in 2007.

“Brazil produces a large volume of farmed tilapia and shrimp. There is a growing interest in the benefits that accrue from reducing environmental and social impacts. Sustainability issues are becoming increasingly relevant as producers look to respond to domestic and global concerns and start to recognise the business opportunities this will bring” says Chris Ninnes, CEO of ASC.

“While ASC is making great progress within markets where third party endorsements are increasingly required such as Europe, North America and Japan, I believe that Brazil will become an important market for us in the medium-term” states Chris Ninnes, ASC’s CEO. “It is only when ASC can demonstrate relevance to the new, dynamic and increasingly important markets emerging globally that the organisation will achieve its mission. I am sure that these early endeavours in Brazil will establish strong foundations for this potential to be realised. This is an important investment for the future of ASC in the region.”