Sustainability

This is us

Sterling is dedicated to delivering premium Sterling halibut, with a strong focus on sustainability at every stage of the production process. We are committed to ensuring that our operations are not only economically viable but also responsible towards the environment, society and our employees. Our goal is to continuously improve our sustainability measures to meet future demands and expectations.

Environment

Sustainable practices: At Sterling, fish welfare is the most important management tool for achieving both environmentally and economically sustainable operations and production. We ensure the health of our halibut through strict measures such as maintaining optimal fish density in our facilities, continuous monitoring of water quality and temperature, and providing sufficient space and stimulation to prevent stress and potential disease among the fish.

Marine life: We actively work to minimise the environmental impact of our activities and production facilities. This includes using recirculation systems and sustainable feed, as well as regulating feed amounts to reduce resource use and waste. Our halibut are fed manually once a day and never more than necessary. Regular ecosystem assessments around our facilities have shown that we do not overburden the environment; on the contrary, top ratings year after year confirm the opposite.

Feeding practices: At Sterling, feeding is carried out in a way that ensures minimal feed waste while meeting the nutritional needs of the fish. We visually monitor the fish’s feeding activity daily and meticulously document feed consumption. By choosing feed produced from sustainable sources – such as marine ingredients from responsible fisheries and plant-based ingredients that do not compete with food production – we minimise our environmental impact. We also collaborate with our supplier to continually develop more sustainable feed products.

Social responsibility 

Employee development: At Sterling, we value our employees and their professional development. Therefore, we have partnered with other leading organisations in the aquaculture industry to offer education that can lead to a bachelor’s degree in aquaculture. This initiative reflects our commitment to investing in our employees and making Sterling an employer of choice.

Social responsibility: Sterling takes its social responsibility seriously. We work to ensure that our farming activities have a positive impact on local communities by creating jobs, supporting the local economy, and contributing to the development of daily life in the areas where we operate. An example of this is our support for local teams and organisations, which is part of our goal to build strong relationships with the community and ensure the continued support for our activities.

Sterling is a proud partner of the Norwegian Chefs Association, the Nordic Chefs Association, the Swedish National Culinary Team, and the Swedish Junior Culinary Team.

Kaja and Karoline Kvalvåg Hetlelid are two young, local cross-country skiers from Hjelmeland in Ryfylke, whom we are proud to sponsor.

We also support several small, local clubs and organisations in Ryfylke that need a bit of extra help. We often contribute to local events, where our support helps them create more income opportunities and increase activity in the local community they are a central part of.

Governance

Ethics and compliance: Food safety is a top priority for us at Sterling, as emphasised by our Global GAP certification. We were the first halibut producer in the world to receive this certification, which more and more consumers and customers have come to expect as standard from food producers.

This certification confirms to the world that we have a robust and well-designed quality management system that also takes the environment, society, our employees, and fish welfare into account.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE CERTIFICATE

Summary

Sterling is committed to running a sustainable business that not only focuses on economic gain but also on the responsibility we have toward the environment, society and our employees. Through our continuous improvement processes and collaboration with relevant stakeholders, we will continue to be a leading halibut supplier in sustainable seafood production.