A proud member of the Sea Harvest Group
Group
Australia
BM Foods
Aqunion
From a humble fishing company established in 1964, the Sea Harvest Group has grown to become a leading vertically integrated seafood, aquaculture, agri-processing and branded Fast-moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) business that’s recognised and respected throughout South Africa and the world.
The Sea Harvest Group is the single biggest employer in Saldanha Bay and South Africa’s West Coast.
Saldanha Bay is the Southern Hemisphere’s deepest, safest and largest natural harbour.
From here, the Group has built its national and global footprint, developing a strong reputation and fostering solid long-term relationships with its geographically diverse international customer base.
The Group harvests wild-caught seafood, including Cape hake and Horse mackerel, off the coasts of South Africa in the Atlantic and Indian oceans and processes the catch into a variety of chilled and frozen premium seafood products. Fishing takes place 15 to 120 nautical miles from the shore at depths of up to 800m, using Sea Harvest’s own fleet of vessels.
Sea Harvest Pelagic is an integrated pelagic fishing business based in St Helena Bay on the West Coast of South Africa engaged in the catching, processing and sale of pelagic fish. From this catch (and those of third parties and imported raw materials), it produces fish oil and fishmeal, which has multiple certifications that allow it to be exported to anywhere in the world, and canned fish (largely for the South African market), which is sold under the 120-year-old Saldanha brand).
Sea Harvest Australia has four distinct business lines, including a prawn business that comprises separate operations in Exmouth and Carnarvon; a fish trawl business that operates in Broome, focusing on wild-caught fish, which are either frozen onboard or sold fresh; a trading business that is primarily centred on seafood from South Africa; and an engineering business in Fremantle that services the fishing business and other third-party clients.
Sea Harvest Aquaculture includes a majority share in Aqunion, one of the world’s leading abalone farming businesses, which consists of a union of three well-known South African abalone businesses (Romanbaai Farm, Buffelsjags and Diamond Coast Aquaculture). It harnesses the skills and expertise of Southern Africa’s foremost aquaculturists to farm and process high quality abalone for the South African and international markets
Our Agri-processing business produces value-added dairy products, such as cheese, butter and powders for the South African retail and foodservice markets.
The Sea Harvest Group is a Level 1 contributor in terms of the South African Department of Trade and Industry’s broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) scorecard. This has been achieved as a result of our dedication to the economic and social transformation of South Africa, especially within the local communities in which it operates.
For example, the Sea Harvest Group is responsible for between 4000 and 5000 direct and indirect jobs on the Cape west coast, and remains a true pillar of the community through the Sea Harvest Foundation (Not-For-Profit Company) and its extensive support of small, medium and micro enterprises.
In 2018, the Group was rated as the “Most Empowered Company” in the fishing and food category on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in a special report issued by a large media publication.
The Sea Harvest Group is a Level 1 contributor in terms of the South African Department of Trade and Industry’s broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) scorecard. This has been achieved as a result of our dedication to the economic and social transformation of South Africa, especially within the local communities in which it operates.
For example, the Sea Harvest Group is responsible for between 4000 and 5000 direct and indirect jobs on the Cape west coast, and remains a true pillar of the community through the Sea Harvest Foundation (Not-For-Profit Company) and its extensive support of small, medium and micro enterprises.
In 2018, the Group was rated as the “Most Empowered Company” in the fishing and food category on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in a special report issued by a large media publication.
Sea Harvest’s core business is fishing and the protection of the natural resource and the ocean is non-negotiable. Our approach to sustainable fishing is guided by robust scientific methodologies that support responsible harvesting and resource regeneration. These practices not only secure the long-term viability of marine ecosystems but also safeguard the Group’s ability to continue contributing meaningfully to South Africa’s economy and food security.
Both Sea Harvest’s South African Cape hake and Australian Shark Bay and Exmouth prawn products are Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified and proudly carry the blue MSC logo, assuring consumers of environmentally responsible fishery management and ethical practices.
Visit: www.msc.org.
In our pelagic operations, Marin Trust certification ensures that the marine ingredients used to produce our fishmeal and fish oil are responsibly sourced.
Aqunion Romansbaai, the largest abalone farm in the Group, has achieved and maintained Global G.A.P. sustainability accreditation, recognising our commitment to sustainable production practices.
As a member of various fishery associations in South Africa and Australia, we work with scientists and conservationists to institute measures aimed at better managing and reducing the bycatch component in all we do. Collaboration and transparency are at the forefront of our sustainability journey. We are privileged to work together with “like-minded” stakeholders where Sea Harvest participates in several regional conservation initiatives, including the South African Deep-Sea Industry Association (SADSTIA) and the Responsible Fisheries Alliance (RFA) (www.rfalliance.org.za). The RFA, in co-operation with the WWF-SA, BirdLife South Africa, as well as other South African commercial fishing companies, promotes an ecosystem approach to fishing and funds projects that promulgate this holistic approach to ocean sustainability.
We also remain committed to continuously reviewing and enhancing our sustainable business practices on land and have worked tirelessly to reduce our resource usage such as water and electricity and limited our waste to landfill by reducing, reusing and recycling.
As we progress into the future we will constantly explore opportunities at the leading edge of sustainability, opportunities that will allow us to create measurable practices that push the boundaries of environmental stewardship, continually improve and embrace innovation, whilst positively impacting our communities and, most importantly, the environment.