Demand for sustainably sourced farmed fish in the UK has soared, according to the latest data from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC).
There as been record growth in uptake of ASC’s certification with 40 finfish and shellfish farms in the UK now certified, a doubling since February 2022.
A further 18 farms are in initial audit stage with a view to being certified by the end of 2023. From January 2022 to January 2023, 16 more companies became ASC chain of custody holders – up from 88 at the start of the period. As of March 2023, there are 139 UK chain of custody holders.
“We are delighted to see such an increase in the number of farms and companies in the UK joining the ASC programme or becoming ASC chain of custody holders,” said Lorraine Gallagher, ASC UK and Ireland market development manager.
“We know that market demand is driving this increase and we expect even more farms and companies to take up this opportunity over 2023 and beyond,” she added.
Rising interest from shoppers is behind the growth in demand for ASC-certified products, which rose 62% in 2022, well outpacing the global average of 14%.
Some noteworthy examples of companies committed to sustainability include Bakkafrost Scotland, which recently achieved ASC certification for four salmon farms in Scotland in 2023 and New England Seafood which has committed to 100% sourcing of ASC-certified seabass and seabream in its ‘Fish Said Fred’ range.
