The Saudi Aquaculture Society (SAS), under the guidance of the Aquaculture Department of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (ADMEWA) of KSA, developed the current Code for Responsible Aquaculture Practices and its detailed principles, guidelines and standards.
The Code serves as the official standard setting document for the SAMAQ product certification and labelling program.
SAS’s trained staff act as external, second party, auditors for the aquaculture units wishing to enroll to the SAMAQ program. SAS’s auditors, visit and audit the interested aquaculture unit upon request (application) and check for compliance to the Codes’ Guidelines and Standards.
The successful audit of provide the facility with a Certificate of Compliance (CoC), and entitle it to market its products under the national SAMAQ logo.
The Saudi Aquaculture Society (SAS)
The SAUDI AQUACULTURE SOCIETY (SAS) is an independent organization, formed by Saudi Cabinet Decree number 73 on 14.03.1434 AH, corresponding to 06.02.2013 AD.
SAS represents the aquaculture industry in Saudi Arabia, and operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture.
SAS’s Vision is to contribute to the development of a sustainable and competitive global aquaculture industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, capable of providing safe and high quality products with competitive prices and produced by environmentally responsible procedures and generating a profitable return on investment.
Accordingly, its Mission is to enhance the role of sustainable aquaculture industry as one of the main elements in the development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and to contribute substantially to the national economy and employment, as well as to create investment opportunities by adopting environmentally sound methods consistent with the nation’s regulation in force.
In achieving its mission, SAS aims to promote the aquaculture industry and its products and to do whatever necessary to develop this sector. Thus, its objective has been divided into short-term objectives (1-3 years) and long-term objectives (4-10 years).
a) Participate in the preparations of the requirements and standards necessary to be applied to the aquaculture industry and its products.
b) Study the rules, regulations and standards related to the aquaculture industry and recommend any amendments on them.
c) Propose mechanisms for surveillance and inspection.
d) Recommend granting licenses and permits, amend or withdraw them.
e) Propose areas of research and studies related to aquaculture and its products and their marketing.
f) Study the constraints facing the aquaculture industry and recommend whatever feasible to facilitate the industry affairs.
g) Hold conferences, symposia and exhibitions on the aquaculture industry and participate in them both inside and outside the Kingdom.
h) Represent members of SAS with the official bodies and with professional scientific and business institutions inside and outside of the KSA.
i) Grant a logo stating that the facility is applying appropriate aquaculture production standards according to the international standards and norms.
