The Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) says that its members have achieved Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification for 100 farms, the equivalent of 20% of all GSI members.
GSI said that this demonstrates its members’ commitment to reaching the ASC standard across all of their farming operations and is a milestone in achieving 100% certification across all of its member farms.
“When we signed up to GSI and made our commitment to ASC certification, we knew it was going to be a very tough challenge, and we weren’t exactly sure how we were going to get there.”
“However, through collective knowledge and shared problem solving, we are starting to see progress with more and more farms achieving certification,” said Alf-Helge Aarskog, CEO Marine Harvest ASA.
He pointed out that the company has made good progress so far, but bigger challenges lie ahead as it looks at regions where it will be tougher to achieve certification.
“But within GSI we support each other by sharing experience and advice, and now that we have the ball rolling we feel confident that the certifications will continue,” he said.
The first GSI farm was awarded ASC certification in 2014, one of ten firms certified in the same year, 45 farms in 2015, and now a further 45 farms certified so far in 2016.
GSI members now have ASC certified farms across six farming regions, including 48 farms in Norway, 33 in Chile, 12 in Canada, three in Ireland, two in Scotland and two in the Faroe Islands, with a further 29 currently under assessment.
