| For Immediate Release | Contact: | Robin Wedell P.S. Communications 630-364-1986 |
SARASOTA, FL, April 20, 2009 -- Regal Springs Tilapia, the world’s largest producer of tilapia, will be featured in a documentary on the benefits of aquafarming, scheduled to air on the National Agriculture Report inMay. Hosted by Hugh Downs (formerly of ABC’s 20/20), the report showcases the importance of aquaculture, which is the cultivation of aquatic animals, especially fish and shellfish in a controlled, yet natural, freshwater environment. The documentary will air on 200 public broadcasting stations in the U.S. and 127 stations overseas.
Aquafarming has grown exponentially over the past decade. According to the Aquaculture America conference held recently in Seattle, worldwide tilapia production should reach 3 million metric tons by 2010, as demand for the popular whitefish continues to grow. “Aquaculture represents about 50 percent of total seafood consumption in the world and has been growing at about 9 percent per year for the past decade,” says Dr. Aaron McNevin, Acquaculture expert for World Wildlife Fund.
Because it doesn’t deplete the ocean of fish, environmentalists say aquafarming is better for the ecosystem. Regal Springs uses 100 percent of its fish waste to make oil and biodiesel fuel. The fish scales are used for belts and items of clothing.
“Sustainability is about managing the delicate balance between the social and economic needs of our communities and customers,” explained Mike Picchietti, president of Regal Springs. “We take sustainability very seriously. It’s our religion.” That’s why Regal Springs chose to play an active role in the World Wildlife Fund steering committee (made up of top tilapia aquafarmers) to draft standards for certifying tilapia aquaculture products.
Aquaculture also is a way to provide assistance to communities in third world countries, which are home to most of the world’s fish farms. It provides income for families in poor communities and helps boost the local economy.
Regal Springs takes aquafarming to another level by providing healthy meals to employees and their families and education to workers, many whom have only completed elementary grades. In addition, Regal Springs offers a kindergarten for the children of employees and provides backpacks and school supplies for local school children. The innovative “Fish for Trees” program in Honduras, which has its roots in the company’s older Indonesian operation, provides tilapia fingerlings in exchange for tree planting, which helps prevent runoff, provides shelter for animals and stems drought.
Besides the documentary, a two-minute infomercial featuring Regal Springs Tilapia will air in May on cable network stations, including CNBC, Fox News Channel, Family Net and MSNBC. All in all, the coverage will reach more than 90 million households in the U.S. and many more in other countries. To find out more or view the aquafarming video, log on to www.RegalSprings.com.
Regal Springs was founded in the early 1990s and is an industry leader in tilapia farming with locations in Honduras, Indonesia and now Mexico. For more information, visit www.RegalSprings.com.