The Soil Association has launched its new updated standards for organic aquaculture and seaweed.
They are the first to be released from a wider standards review and will take effect immediately. The standards feature higher requirements than EU regulation in certain areas.
“Aquaculture is increasingly important as it has the potential to provide fish for global markets while limiting pressure on wild stocks which face a variety of threats,” said Chris Atkinson, head of standards at the Soil Association.
He added: “Having strict but straightforward standards for organic production will ensure that this does not come at the cost of environmental pollution or poor animal welfare.
The standards emphasise on the humane treatment of fish and protection of the aquatic environment.
Among the changes is the creation of dedicated standards for the production and collection of organic seaweed, which may now display the Soil Association symbol. These standards directly reflect those imposed by EU regulations.
The full aquaculture standards review was launched with a public consultation in 2015, to ensure standards provide the maximum impact for animal welfare and sustainability while being straightforward and transparent for licensees.
Industry experts, producers and interested consumers all contributed to the consultation and the updated standards were then produced in conjunction with the association’s independent Aquaculture Standards Committee.
The new standards are available to view online at the Soil Association website.
