We are contacting you regarding our ongoing investigation into aquaculture and the global fishmeal and fish oil industry, which has uncovered an array of industry-wide environmental and human rights concerns. These concerns date from between 2018 and the present, and they pertain to events or conditions on land or at sea.
In 2019, Pesquera Exalmar S.A.A. sent at least 17 shipments of fishmeal to Aquacargill Del Ecuador Cia. Ltda., according to trade data. Between 2012 and 2020, Pesquera Exalmar sent 21,937 tons of fishmeal and 4,389 tons of fish oil to EWOS / Cargill according to a Changing…
In response to your inquiry regarding Pesquera Exalmar S.A.A., Cargill takes any environmental and human rights allegations seriously. We expect our suppliers to follow all applicable laws and to meet the expectations set out in Cargill’s Supplier Code of Conduct, including expectations related to labor, environmental practices, safety, and business integrity.
Our team is currently investigating the allegations raised. If our review identifies supplier non-compliance with applicable laws or our expectations, we will take steps as appro…
As the timing of reviews can vary depending on information availability and the need to verify details across multiple sources, we are unable to provide a projected timeline. During the review process, interim updates are not generally provided, as we prioritize completing the relevant fact-finding and evaluating any follow-up steps that may be required. We do publicly share our expectations for suppliers and how we handle these issues, including through Cargill’s Supplier Code of Conduct, as noted in our earlier response.
Fishmeal powder can be highly flammable and was reported to have ignited mid-transit on dozens of vessels around the world before Cargill’s development of a fire retardant additive called ethoxyquin in 1967. Cargill conducted trial shipments of ethoxyquin-treated fishmeal from Peru to the United States, after which it began shipping larger amounts annually, according to news reports at the time, and the use of ethoxyquin as a fire retardant in fishmeal subsequently expanded across the industry.
In a 1969 document, a group of UN food and agriculture authorities jointly reported that “toxic ef…
Thank you for reaching out. We are reviewing your inquiry and expect to have a clarification to share. Would it be possible to have an extra day or two to provide our response? Monday is a holiday in both the U.S. and the Netherlands, where key members of our team are based, and our colleagues in Europe are already offline for the long weekend.
Also, if you’re able to share the relevant source materials for the historical references in your inquiry – including the news reports and the 1969 document you cited – that would be useful for our review and would support a more complete and accurate…
Thanks for your reply. We can push to Wednesday, May 27.
Sure, here are some links to: 1969 evaluation issued jointly by the FAO and WHO; 1987 paper in Carcinogenesis journal; 2015 European Food Safety Authority report; European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/962 of 7 June 2017 suspending the aut…
Thank you again for the flexibility on timing. We reviewed your statements and our available records and would like to clarify a few key points:
- Ethoxyquin is an antioxidant, not a conventional fire retardant. In fishmeal, antioxidants have historically been used to reduce oxidation, which can lead to self-heating and, in some cases, fire risk during storage and maritime transport. Fishmeal contains fish oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, which are prone to oxidation. Without stabilization, fishmeal can become rancid, lose nutritiona…