WWF and GlobalGap partner a course to aquaculture certification

Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition	IceFish Conferences

The largest commercial fishing exhibition in the North.	Co-located with the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition, the IceFish Conferences bring the seafood sector together for three days of insight, innovation and connection.
Visit the IceFish Website	Visit IceFish Conferences

By-Product Solutions	Smart, Connected Seafood Processing	Land-Based Aquaculture Technology	Greener Fishing
January-February 2026	March-April 2025	July-August 2025	November-December 2025

Cutting waste and maximising value	Robotics, analytics software and other Industry 4.0 technologies are helping to scale-up productivity	New production systems are escalating the industry’s contribution to global food security	Fisheries are becoming increasingly responsible and sustainable thanks to new technologies and initiatives
Read More	Read More	Read More	Read More

Food standard certifier GLOBALGAP will offer an expansion to its program so aquaculture producers can be certified in one step for implementing practices that help ensure the production of safe food in conjunction with environmentally and socially responsible farming.

GLOBALGAP will do so by supplementing its existing food safety, environmental and social requirements with the metrics-based environmental and social standards under development by the Aquaculture Dialogues. The Dialogue standards are being created by approximately 2,000 producers, NGOs, scientists and other stakeholders from around the world. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) coordinates the Dialogue process.

“We are thrilled that GLOBALGAP will offer a voluntary add-on module to its existing standards,” said WWF-US Aquaculture Program Managing Director Jose Villalon. “The Dialogue standards will add value to the GLOBALGAP program because they are metrics-based, which is the best way to accurately measure if aquaculture’s impacts on the environment are minimised.”

The Dialogue standards are being created by consensus through an open and transparent process that involves a broad and diverse group of stakeholders. The first set of standards – for tilapia – is expected to be completed in September 2009. Standards for 11 additional species will be finalised over the next year.

“This move is a win for producers because it will help streamline the certification process for them, by offering a one-stop shop audit using the high integrity of the GLOBALGAP system to provide an efficient and cost effective certification process,” said GLOBALGAP Chairman Nigel Garbutt.

The WWF/GLOBALGAP partnership is a means to certify producers prior to the creation of the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) in 2011. The ASC, a new independent organisation, will be responsible for working with third party entities to certify farms that are in compliance with the Dialogue standards. WWF and several other entities, including the Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative, are taking the lead in creating the ASC.