| SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - November 2, 2009) | | | | throughout the United States and Europe." |
| - HQ Sustainable Maritime Industries, Inc. (NYSE | | | | "Sustainable aquaculture practices are |
| Amex: HQS) ("HQS" or the "Company"), a leader | | | | environmentally responsible and could help mitigate |
| in all natural integrated aquaculture and aquatic | | | | the potential collapse of ocean fisheries. |
| product processing, including fish byproduct | | | | Aquaculture accounts for a full 50% of global |
| personal healthcare products, today announced | | | | seafood production and all incremental growth in |
| that its tilapia grow out operations as well as its | | | | this sector," Mr. Sporns concluded. |
| processing plant operations for tilapia in its wholly | | | | About GLOBALGAP |
| owned, Hainan-based subsidiary Hainan Quebec | | | | The challenge of globalising markets is nowhere |
| Ocean Fishing Co. Ltd., have been certified by | | | | greater than in the primary food sector. |
| Moody International Certification Ltd., as in | | | | GLOBALGAP (formerly known as EUREPGAP) has |
| conformity with the GLOBALGAP Tilapia Standard | | | | established itself as a key reference for Good |
| recently launched in April 2009, making HQS the | | | | Agricultural Practices (G.A.P.) in the global market |
| first company to be certified to this standard. | | | | place, by translating consumer requirements into |
| GLOBALGAP is a private sector body that sets | | | | agricultural production in a rapidly growing list of |
| voluntary standards for the certification of | | | | countries -- currently more than 80 on every |
| production processes of agricultural (including | | | | continent. |
| aquaculture) products around the globe. These | | | | -- GLOBALGAP is a private sector body that sets |
| standards are primarily designed to reassure | | | | voluntary standards forthe certification of |
| consumers about how food is produced on the | | | | production processes of agricultural |
| farm by minimizing detrimental environmental | | | | (includingaquaculture) products around the globe. |
| impacts of farming operations, reducing the use | | | | The aim is to establish ONEstandard for Good |
| of chemical inputs and ensuring a responsible | | | | Agricultural Practice (G.A.P.) with different |
| approach to worker health and safety as well as | | | | productapplications capable of fitting to the whole |
| animal welfare. | | | | of global agriculture. |
| GLOBALGAP is a global partnership of voluntary | | | | -- GLOBALGAP is a pre-farm-gate standard, |
| members, bringing together like-minded parties | | | | which means that thecertificate covers the |
| with the shared vision of harmonizing Good | | | | process of the certified product from farm |
| Agricultural Practice (G.A.P.) world-wide. Retail | | | | inputslike feed or seedlings and all the farming |
| membership includes, AEON, Ahold, ALDI, ASDA, | | | | activities until the productleaves the farm. |
| COOP CH, DELHAIZE, EDEKA, GLOBUS, METRO, | | | | GLOBALGAP is a business-to-business label and is |
| MIGROS, NORMA, Wegmans, E. Leclerc, | | | | thereforenot directly visible to consumers. |
| McDonalds, Sysco, US Food Service, Tesco, | | | | -- GLOBALGAP certification is carried out by |
| Carrefour and Marks & Spencer as well as | | | | more than 100 independentand accredited |
| many other major retailers throughout the world. | | | | certification bodies in more than 80 countries. It is |
| "We congratulate HQ Sustainable on becoming the | | | | opento all producers worldwide. |
| first company to achieve our new Tilapia | | | | -- GLOBALGAP includes annual inspections of the |
| standards. These standards are designed to | | | | producers and additionalunannounced inspections. |
| reassure consumers about how food is produced. | | | | -- GLOBALGAP consists of a set of normative |
| HQS' Tilapia meets these high standards providing | | | | documents. These documentscover the |
| in addition to food safety, a responsible | | | | GLOBALGAP General Regulations, the |
| framework to worker health and the | | | | GLOBALGAP Control Points and |
| environment," said Dr. Kristian Moeller, Managing | | | | Compliance Criteria and the GLOBALGAP |
| Director and Secretary GLOBALGAP. | | | | Checklist. |
| Norbert Sporns, president and CEO of HQS, | | | | As many other on-farm assurance systems have |
| added, "HQ Sustainable's commitment to quality | | | | been in place for some time prior to the |
| must be part of an industry-wide effort to | | | | existence of GLOBALGAP, a way had to be |
| educate the public to the choices available. The | | | | found to encourage the development of regionally |
| establishment of reliable standards, monitored and | | | | adjusted management systems and so to |
| certified by GLOBALGAP Approved Certification | | | | prevent farmers from having to undergo multiple |
| Bodies as third party certification system, | | | | audits. Existing national or regional farm assurance |
| validates our commitment to quality and helps | | | | schemes that have successfully completed their |
| HQS in the rollout of its all natural brands, including | | | | benchmarking process are recognized as an |
| 'Lillian's Health Gourmet'® and 'TiLoveYa'®, | | | | equivalent to GLOBALGAP. |