USA.- A nearly two-year search for the technology and expertise to position the state of Qatar as the global center for aquaculture excellence bestowed that honor on the partnership of Qatar’s ITQAN and Global Blue Technologies of the United States.
“Qatar insists on absolute fidelity to excellence in all we do. The long due diligence to determine the company and system that will best safeguard our nation’s land and water resources was time and effort well spent. My pledge is that we will ensure every prawn our partnership produces will be the most exquisite the world will ever enjoy,” said ITQAN Chairman Musallam Al-Nabit.
For the past 18 months, the government of Qatar vetted a dozen applicants vying to be named the sole source to produce environmentally responsibly raised premium shrimp. Qatar’s environmental criteria was the strictest in the industry. The partnership of GBT and Qatar’s ITQAN was chosen due to its proven expertise.
Global Blue Technologies spent nearly two decades perfecting its bio-secure, recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). The company’s progress toward becoming a leader in the farmed shrimp industry thanks to its exquisite tasting, colossal shrimp grown was cut short in the last quarter of 2017 by Hurricane Harvey, the most costly, destructive and deadly hurricane to make landfall on the continental United States in the last decade.
Twenty-two months later, GBT together with ITQAN is poised to bring that cutting-edge, environmentally responsible technology to transform Qatar into a true global showcase for aquaculture as Nature intended.
“GBT operates in keeping with the Triple Bottom Line ethic of economic prosperity, environmental stewardship and community prosperity. All that we do is to show that an ethical better-way exists for the benefit of people, the animals and the Earth. We see Qatar as the perfect partner in this endeavor,” said Stephen White, GBT’s CEO.
The first phase of the multi-million-dollar project will include a hatchery and production modules to produce 3000 metric tons of shrimp per year as well as a Brood Stock Multiplication Center (BMC) with the capacity to raise 300,000 brood stock. Expansion goals include increasing shrimp production to 100,000 metric tons over the next 4-5 years.
