Tilapia from Indonesia is the first farmed fish to meet the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification standard.
The farm is one of the biggest in the world and is operated by Regal Springs. The farm uses large floating cages that have demonstrated their minimal impact on the natural environment. In cooperation with NGOs and scientists, Regal Springs monitors the water quality continuously. Furthermore, good social working conditions and care for the local community are important corporate values enshrined in its approach to corporate responsibility
“Aquaculture can contribute to feeding the growing world population, but this must be done responsibly,” says Johan van de Gronden, director of WWF in the Netherlands. “The introduction of ASC certified tilapia today is just the first step. Soon, other products bearing the ASC logo will be available in stores and in restaurants. Together we can make responsibly farmed fish mainstream.”
ASC certified tilapia will be available in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, France, Belgium, Spain and Canada.
More tilapia farms in Honduras, Taiwan, Ecuador and Malaysia have all formally announced that they will be audited; and following a positive outcome, the supply of certified ASC products will substantially increase.
Other seafood species will shortly also be ASC-certified. Pangasius products will be next and likely available early in the autumn of 2012. These products will be followed by certified clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, abalone and salmon later in 2012. The standards for shrimp and trout will soon be finalised and the first farm audits may take place before the year end.
