Photo: Biomar/FIS

BioMar Achieves Historic First in France with ASC Feed Certification

Nersac Facility Becomes France’s Pioneer Certified Aquaculture Feed Producer, Strengthening Responsible Seafood Supply for Western Mediterranean and Africa

BioMar has marked a significant milestone for sustainable aquaculture in France, announcing today that its production facility in Nersac has achieved the prestigious Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Feed Certification. This makes BioMar’s Nersac site the first ASC-certified aquaculture feed production facility in France.

Nersac processing plant. Photo: Biomar France

The certification is a crucial development ahead of the industry-wide deadline of October 31, 2025, when all ASC-certified farms must source their feed from ASC-certified mills to maintain their status. The move significantly strengthens BioMar’s capacity to supply ASC-conforming feed across the Western Mediterranean and Africa Region, serving crucial markets including France, Spain, Portugal, and North Africa. The Nersac factory is responsible for supplying feed for all life stages, including hatchery diets.

Global Network of Responsibility

The Nersac factory joins an expanding global network of BioMar sites that have secured the certification, including facilities in Chile, Ecuador, Spain (Dueñas), Costa Rica, Norway, Denmark, and the UK.

Luis Garcia Romero, Managing Director at BioMar for the Western Mediterranean & Africa Region, highlighted the strategic importance of the site. "This certification strengthens our ability to support ASC-certified farmers at every production stage," said Romero. "By offering ASC-conforming feed, we help our customers meet evolving market expectations and build value across the full value chain in the whole Western Mediterranean region, as the Nersac factory in France together with the Dueñas factory in Spain are the responsible sites for supplying feed to this area."

Setting the Standard for Responsible Feed

The ASC Feed Standard, which became effective in January 2023, sets rigorous requirements to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of feed production—a process that can account for up to 90% of a farm’s environmental footprint. Key requirements verified by the certification include:

• Sustainable Sourcing of Raw Materials: Mills must conduct due diligence and risk assessment for all major ingredients (over 1% inclusion), particularly addressing the risk of deforestation and land conversion from plant-based ingredients like soy and the responsible sourcing of marine ingredients.

• Environmental Responsibility: Tracking and setting targets for reducing GHG emissions and water use.

• Social and Labour Rights: Ensuring compliance with ethical standards at the mill and within ingredient supply chains.

Camille Civel, ASC Regional Manager Southern Europe, France & Italy, praised the achievement. "As the first ASC-certified feed production facility in France, BioMar demonstrates its strong commitments to sustainability and innovation, and sets a powerful example for others in the region to follow. This milestone marks a major step forward for responsible aquaculture in France,” Civel stated.

Javier Soria, Food Manager at DNV in Iberia, the independent certification body, confirmed the rigour of the process. "DNV celebrates the continued progress of BioMar Group’s sustainability strategy... This site joins the other group facilities in the challenge of ASC certification, a key tool to ensure responsible and sustainable sourcing of animal feed, contributing to the overall sustainability of the entire food supply chain."

The certification allows BioMar to supply customers with the highest level of assurance, accelerating the global transition towards more responsible seafood production.

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