The Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC) salmon standard has been recognised by seafood certification industry benchmark, the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI).
As well as meeting all the essential components of the benchmark, the ASC standard achieved 52 ‘supplementary components’ – more than any other aquaculture certification scheme. The ASC’s standard achieved 100% of the components in two of the three categories, governance and operational management, as well as 25 supplementary components for the requirements of the standard.
“With the ASC’s commitment to constant updates and stakeholder engagement, our standard has been a driving force behind improvements in salmon aquaculture. Achieving the GSSI benchmark is further evidence of the strength and the credibility of the standard," said Michiel Fransen, head of standards & science at the ASC.
The ASC salmon standard requires producers to demonstrate responsible aquaculture to minimise both environmental and social impacts and requires an unprecedented level of transparency and traceability. The salmon certification programme has grown steadily since its launch in 2012, with 240 salmon farms now certified.
The ASC’s programme was judged against performance indicators for governance, operational management, supply chain traceability and auditing.
The GSSI benchmark is based on United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) guidelines for the ecolabelling of seafood and aims to give clarity on seafood certification schemes.
