Early work in Java

Amidst a rural landscape of vulcanoes, rice fields and fresh water springs in Central Java, Regal springs began farming tilapia in 1988. Regal’s founder had previously worked with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, bringing ‘aid’ to poor communities in western Java. The projects failed to produce desired results, but a lesson was learned: true sustainability comes when it is a necessary component for success.

 

Aid projects are merely dependent on outside funds pouring in; an independent business, on the other hand, depends on wiese management of resources to remain in existence. Thus, focused on small volumes in clean spring waters, collaborating with local farmers and employing individuals from the local community, the founder of Regal Springs created a ‘sustainable’ farming practice long before ‘sustainability’ became en vogue.

 

Regal Springs’ mission was two-fold: to produce the best tilapia product and to build up the infrastructure of the communities with the subsequent profits. The formula worked. As the communities were strengthened, they became enthusiastic shareholders in the company’s growth.

 

It has been our privilege to provie sevure employment and to increase food security in low income areas of Indonesia, Honduras and Mexico, while poineering the tilapia market in North America. Ir is with enthusiasm and dedication that we continue to find innovative means in improving our environmental and social performance.

 

Our driving principles

• All people deserve to eat healthy food

• People have the right to mobilize - true freedom

• Sharing – No greed – Simplicity and Modesty

• Responsibility, Integrity and Commitment

• Transparency & Professionalism

• Verticality & Harmony – we are self sufficient

• Integration – not separation

• Recycling on all levels (not a chain reaction)

• Build strong infrastructure – for man, nature, technology

• Respect for life, human beings, country, nature

• Stay away fom politics, religions, corruptions

 

Sustainability explained

The world’s burgeoning populatio is increasing its demand for protein sources to meet hunger needs, and aquaculture is the fastest growing food production system in response to this demand. The demand is expected to rise still more. The growth comes with caveats, as such rapidly expanding activity impacts environments and societies. There is no true ‘zero impact’ in any activity. Therefore, it is crucial that guiding standards be developed and adhered to, to ensure long term sustainability. In our experience, sustainability is not a marketing word. It is the simple key to our success. If we had not been sustainable from the outset, we would no longer be operating in the very same environments and communities where we started. But we are. We have learned lessons in the past two decades that will continue to improve our operations, to everyone’s benefit.

 

With this report, our aim is to expound on the impacts that Regal Springs has on its surroundings. It is a natural extension of our company’s involvement with the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue (TAD), a committee that is developing measurable standards for fish farmers to follow – in the pursuit of truly healthy, sustainable production.

 

We trust that this repost is a usefu resource for the interested consumer who desires insight into the pursuit of true sustainability. We are grateful to all those consumers who vote daily by their food purchases for higher quality, environmentally conscious and socially responsible production. As a company, we will continue to increase our positive impacts and minimize our negative impactsm but we can only go as far as and as fast as conusmers are willing to support our efforts. We thank them in advance for their ‘vote’ of confidence.

 

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