The Global Aquaculture Alliance has expanded the Best Aquaculture Practices certification program with the completion of BAP standards for salmon farms.
"This is another big step forward for BAP," GAA Executive Director Wally Stevens said. "With the salmon standards coming on line, the program now covers another very important species via international guidelines that protect the environment, worker rights and animal welfare, while also addressing food safety and traceability."
The BAP standards for salmon farms apply to the cage and net pen production of salmon and rainbow trout. They join BAP's standards for shrimp, tilapia, Pangasius and channel catfish. The BAP program also includes standards for feed mills, hatcheries and processing plants. Over 1.5 billion pounds (700,000mt) of seafood are processed under the BAP program annually.
BAP is now open to salmon farmers and processors, and is working with certification bodies to develop auditor guidelines for the new standards. An August BAP auditor course in Ireland will emphasise the salmon standards.
