From a humble fishing company established in 1964, the Sea Harvest Group has grown to become a leading seafood, aquaculture, agri-processing and branded Fast-moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) business that’s recognised and respected throughout South Africa and the world.
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 off the coasts of South Africa, Mozambique and Australia and processes the catch into a variety of chilled and frozen premium seafood products. Through Sea Harvest Aquaculture, the Group farms a variety of fish and shellfish species.
Our varied wild-caught and farmed products are then packed and marketed to our local and international customer base.
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 the single biggest employer in Saldanha Bay and South Africa’s West Coast, responsible for between 4000 and 5000 direct and indirect jobs, and remains a true pillar of the community through its extensive support of small, medium and micro enterprises and the Sea Harvest Foundation.
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 the single biggest employer in Saldanha Bay and South Africa’s West Coast, responsible for between 4000 and 5000 direct and indirect jobs, and remains a true pillar of the community through its extensive support of small, medium and micro enterprises and the Sea Harvest Foundation.
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.
Our core business is fishing and the protection of this resource and the ocean is non-negotiable; the Sea Harvest Group is completely committed to sustainability. In 2004 the South African Deep-Sea Hake Trawling Industry (SADSTIA) association, of which Sea Harvest is a founding member, was the first hake fishery in the world to be awarded MSC certification, the international gold standard in sustainable fishing. SADSTIA has maintained its MSC certification since then and was re-certified for another four years in 2021.
At Sea Harvest we ensure our impact on the environment is limited. We develop and implement innovative mechanisms to reduce our current impact and make sure that nature is protected for future generations.
We support an ecosystems approach to fisheries in our wild capture operations where we are committed to safeguarding our oceans in all aspects and not just in what we catch. At the same time all of our aquaculture farms adhere to and maintain the highest possible environmental standards.
Our South African Cape Hake products, as well as our Australian Shark Bay Prawns, proudly carry the blue MSC logo – the gold standard in global sustainability fishing – assuring consumers of environmentally responsible fisheries management – www.msc.org.
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 Responsible Fisheries Alliance (RFA) (www.rfalliance.org.za), in co-operation with the WWF-SA, BirdLife South Africa, as well as other South African commercial fishing companies. The RFA promotes an ecosystem approach to fishing which involves the support of projects that promulgate this holistic approach to ocean sustainability.
Even though our environmental management is underpinned by our sustainable fishing practises, we also remain committed to continuously reviewing and enhancing our sustainable business practices on land. Throughout our journey we’ve worked tirelessly to reduce our resource usage such as water and electricity. We aim to never use more than we need. We are proud that we continue to make strides in our waste management. The bulk of the waste we generate is recycled and supports a circular economy. Where it’s not possible, our wasted is disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner.
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.
