The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is an international certification scheme for seafood from farms that have been independently certified to the ASC environmental and social standard. www.asc-aqua.org. The ASC was founded in 2010 by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH). Would you also like to show your customers that your fish product is independently certified? Then opt for certification through our ASC group certificate.
The objective of the ASC is to make the aquaculture sector more ecologically sustainable and socially responsible – through an effective market-based approach designed to generate added value along the entire value chain. The ASC label plays an important role in raising consumer awareness. Only ASC-certified companies are allowed to display the ASC label on their products.
ASC certified farms meet the following requirements:
- Compliance with national and local laws and regulations;
- Conservation of natural habitats, local biodiversity and ecosystems;
- Conservation of water resources and assurance of water quality;
- Responsible use of feed and other resources;
- Protection of biodiversity with regard to wildlife populations;
- Improved fish health and moderate and responsible use of antibiotics and chemicals;
- Social responsibility of farms towards their employees and local communities.
Our group certificate is aimed at small- to medium-sized companies. Organisations that meet at least one of the following criteria are eligible for group certification:
- annual turnover of less than EUR 2 million; or
- annual volume of seafood products traded is less than 200.000 kg; or
- fewer than 50 seafood-business staff (including at peak times); or
- consumer-oriented organisations (e.g. fish mongers and restaurants).
MSC certification
The oceans are home to an extraordinary variety of life. Much of this life is essential to human livelihoods and food security. The Marine Stewardship Council strives to maintain healthy fish stocks in the world and for the future. It is internationally the most recognizable label for sustainable wild-caught fish. Seafood is also covered by MSC certification.