Our Tilapia Story The Western Edge Seafood Edge When it comes to Tilapia all is not created equal. At Western Edge we have taken great care in developing the finest farmed raised Tilapia found anywhere in the World… Origin The origin of the eggs, and the way the eggs are treated, is of far more importance than may be realized. Many producers of Tilapia are known to inject there eggs with male hormones which helps the fish t grow-out faster with less problems. This genetic engineering is not done at Western Edge. We feel that an al natural process of egg development is by far the best way to a healthy fish. This is also the best defense against unwanted bad publicity that goes along with genetic compromised eggs. Pure Water All of the water going into the ponds raising our Tilapia comes from pure mountain streams located on the island of Hainan. This is a tropical island located off the southern coast of China, far removed from the pollutants of mainland China. The water is constantly being monitored to insure no harmful agents ever enter into the water supply and jeopardize its purity. Feed One of the most important factors when it comes to the taste and texture of fish is the quality of the feed used. Western Edge uses only the highest quality feed for their Tilapia. Most feeds used today contain many fillers as well as, hormones that help promote a plumper fish artificially. Although, with these feeds, a faster grow-out occurs, this can have long term effects on the development of your program. We use only all natural feeds which contain absolutely no fillers or hormones. Our buyers travel the worlds to hand pick and select only the finest of grains and feeds that go into Feeding of our Tilapia. Great feed produces great fish with the results being the fines tasting seafood found on the market today. Sand Bottom Ponds Farm rising Tilapia on a tropical island gives us many advantages. Along with the luscious surroundings and constant temperatures, we have the advantage of having a sand base in our ponds. What this means, as far as grow-out of our fish is concerned, is that our Tilapia never has exposure to a mud bottom pond that one may find at many other Tilapia farms. Without having exposure to mud there is no way to pick up a muddy taste brought on by the natural environments from where the fish live. In addition to these environmental factors, all of our ponds are drained every grow-out stage to rid the ponds of any waste produced by the fish during grow out. This guarantees that every crop has the same purity of water that the precious crop enjoyed. This also insures that no harmful affects to the environment occurs from the build up of excess waste in the ponds. We are not only interested in the fish we produce but the effects it has on the local environment in which it is grown. Live Kill Once the fish are fully matured, they are ready fro harvest and transportation to the processing plant. All fish are taken from the ponds and transported to the plant while still alive. Once at the plant, they are again inspected to insure that they have arrived live. Only live fish are processed for export. Any fish that are found to have died during transportation are sorted and processed for the local market. At this point, the fish are sent down the processing line for cutting and sorting. This insures that all our seafood is at the peak of freshness when boxed for shipment. This guarantee has put Western Edge Tilapia on the tables of many of the finest restaurants in the country. Passion for Perfection From the beginning where it starts with the egg to the end at your door we, at Western Edge, are committed to the perfection that nature allows in producing an excellent product. When we say pure and natural they are not just in fashion sayings. They are the methods of growing and processing by which we stand. From the growing, to the transporting and the servicing of our customers, we are committed to the highest standards. A Passion for perfection is our aim for which we will always strive for one day at a time.