A feature on The Fish Site by editor and consultant Rob Fletcher spotlighted the journey of Spring Tilapia's CEO, Hideyoshi Segovia Uno, and the work he's leading to support tilapia farmers across Latin America. Segovia Uno, who has Mexican and Salvadoran roots, got his start working for one of El Salvador's largest tilapia producers before joining what would become Spring Genetics in 2012.
The article highlights just how diverse the tilapia sector is, something Segovia Uno finds endlessly interesting. He described working with everyone from a customer with just two ponds, whose tilapia farming changed her family's life and let her educate her children, to some of the largest producers in the world. Reaching that whole spectrum, he said, is part of what makes the work meaningful.
Since taking the reins, Segovia Uno has helped grow the company's customer base across Latin America, along with markets in Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, now running the business in partnership with commercial director Carlos Lopez. Under their leadership, the farm produces millions of tilapia a year at its Miami site, building on a breeding program with roots stretching back decades.
Looking ahead, Segovia Uno spoke about what the tilapia industry still needs to mature: more standardization, stronger biosecurity and animal welfare practices, and a sharper focus on what consumers actually want. He framed it as a shared effort, one that depends on producers, researchers, and the broader industry working together to build a more resilient and sustainable future for tilapia farming.
A note for longtime followers: this feature was published under the Spring Genetics name. The company has since rebranded as Spring Tilapia, though the leadership and the mission behind it remain the same.
Read the full feature on The Fish Site.