pg14_ASC.qxd 17/6/15 12:07 Page 14 14 AQUACULTURE ASC AQUACULTURE Aquaculture Stewardship Council Update ASC Feed Standard: driving Amsterdam for the ASC Responsible improvements in the Feed Project briefing event. Experts in aquaculture feed industry marine, plant and animal ingredients, as Feed is an essential element in farming, well as supply chain and feed mill repre- but it is also a major contributor to the sentatives, came together demonstrating overall environmental impact of aqua- that the sector is committed to a respon- culture. The environmental pressure sible future for fish feed production. ASC - a global initiative to created by the production of the key This year there will be two public move aquaculture towards ingredients in fish feed needs to be review rounds of the draft Feed Standard. The related audit manual that sustainable farming practices addressed. The ASC is developing a globally will guide auditors in applying the stan- The Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s applicable Responsible Feed Standard. A dard will then be developed, followed by (ASC) mission is to transform fish multi-stakeholder expert group includ- a field test for the standard and audit farming towards environmental sus- ing industry, scientists and conservation manual. tainability and social responsibility. group representatives has been carefully The ASC Responsible Feed Standard is ASC works with stakeholders around selected to develop the standard. The set to go live in the first quarter of 2016. the world including farmers, seafood feed standard will set requirements that When the standard is finalised it will be processors, retail and foodservice com- reflect industry best practice and devel- available for anyone who wants to use it. panies, scientists, government agencies, op the consensus needed to support the To find out more about the ASC and other NGOs. Together these stake- aquaculture feed industry to operate on Responsible Feed Standard develop- holders developed the credible and a more environmentally sound and ment, or to provide feedback on the robust ASC standards for responsible socially responsible basis. draft standard, please visit the aquaculture. In September 2014, around 50 Responsible Feed Project page on ASC’s ASC operates an exciting and ambi- website www.asc-aqua.org. tious certification and labelling pro- experts met for the first time in gramme that helps drive improvements in aquaculture by encouraging farms to adopt more responsible practices. A year of growth This year ASC celebrated its fifth anniversary, announcing there are now more than 150 ASC certified farms and close to 3,000 ASC labelled products globally. Notable work over the last year includes moving ahead with the ASC Feed Standard and group certification scheme; kicking off the standard har- monisation and operational review pro- ject; and further collaboration with its MOU partners Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) and GLOBALG.A.P. In addition, the Seriola and Cobia Standard was handed over to the ASC; and the first certified trout, shrimp and bivalves farms were welcomed into the programme. Photo courtesy of Nicolas Privet INTERNATIONAL AQUAFEED DIRECTORY 2015/16 pg14_ASC.qxd 17/6/15 12:07 Page 15 15 AQUACULTURE ASC AQUACULTURE Further Developments Harmonising the ASC standards ASC has launched a project to har- monise its eight farm standards, with a primary focus on structure, to create one core ASC Standard. The core stan- dard will cover the generic require- ments, while species’ or production method specific requirements will be covered in related annexes. The current ASC farm standards are being reviewed and commonalities across them identified. The aim is to har- monise criteria where possible while maintaining species' or production method specific requirements where needed. Having one core standard will ensure consistency across common issues, and Chris Ninnes, ASC; Wally Stevens, GAA; and Kristian Moeller, GLOBALG.A.P. provide greater clarity for farmers, audi- Photo courtesy of ASC tors and other stakeholders. It will allow ASC to include other species in a more efficient manner, therefore, shortening ASC group certification tion, as it provides a gap-analysis the time it takes to get the certified prod- The majority of farms globally are between the farm’s current performance ucts of new species to market. small to medium sized operations. The levels and the ASC standard’s require- To find out more or get involved in the ASC is now adjusting its requirements ments. Interested farms and certification project visit the ASC Core Standard to enable groups of farms to work col- bodies can register for the pilot at certi- Development page on the ASC website lectively towards compliance with its [email protected]. Farms and certi- www.asc-aqua.org. standards. These requirements will sup- fiers will share the costs for the pilots. port a group certification approach. The programme is expected to go live Operational review of three Group certification will allow ASC to in 2016. ASC standards operate a more open and inclusive For more information visit the Group A public consultation on the proposal programme, making certification attain- Certification project page on ASC’s for improving the ASC pangasius, able for a broad range of producers. It website www.asc-aqua.org. tilapia and salmon standards was will ensure that the ASC programme is launched in 2015. This is an opportuni- accessible to small-scale farmers, ASC, GAA and GLOBALG.A.P. ty for stakeholders to take part in ASC's creating valuable opportunities for them to introduce combined audit operational review and offer their views to seek ASC certification. checklists on how to improve ASC's standards. An initial draft of the group To increase audit efficiency, ASC, This is not a complete review of the certification requirements is expected to Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) standards. There will be a focus on areas be available at the end of 2015. When and GLOBALG.A.P. have drafted and where the effectiveness of a standard has finalised, these will be added to ASC’s agreed combined checklists for farms not met expectations. The review is gov- existing Farm Certification and that seek more than one certificate. erned by the guidelines set out in the Accreditation Requirements and will A combined checklist minimises ISEAL Code of Conduct for Standard apply to all of the ASC standards. duplication of audit points between Setting. The Terms of Reference will be The initial draft methodology will be schemes. The checklist will comprise all revised based on public feedback and field tested and published for public the audit points of one standard supple- the standards will be reviewed according consultation. Pilots are anticipated to mented by specific add-on clauses for to the identified improvement areas. take place between the end of 2015 and the other standard(s). A farm that seeks Read more about the Operational early 2016. multiple certifications can select any one Review on the project page on ASC’s Field test participation is a useful step of the three programmes as the primary website www.asc-aqua.org. for farms to prepare for their certifica- standard and then select the desired INTERNATIONAL AQUAFEED DIRECTORY 2015/16 pg14_ASC.qxd 17/6/15 12:07 Page 16 16 AQUACULTURE ASC AQUACULTURE add-on(s). If a farm proves to be ASC joined ISEAL as an associate The Think Fish Week is an initiative of compliant with the schemes' standards it member in 2012. All ISEAL members the ASC, the Marine Stewardship may be eligible to gain two certificates must adhere to the ISEAL Credibility Council (MSC) and the World Wide (or later even three) through this process. Principles, meet the criteria set out in Fund for Nature (WWF). Pilots for combined ASC and ISEAL's Codes of Good Practice and During Think Fish Week consumers GLOBALG.A.P. audits covering shrimp, commit to continuous improvement. are reminded that they can contribute to salmon and pangasius, and for ASC and The standard setting process intro- a healthy ocean. Through in-store GAA’s BAP standards covering pangasius, duced by ASC was evaluated by an promotions and out of store campaigns are underway this year. If successful, external assessor to confirm it was in customers are informed that they can these audits can result in farms obtaining compliance with the ISEAL Standard- easily make a responsible choice for multiple certificates. Auditors will be Setting Code. Following the defined certified seafood. The on-pack ASC logo able to combine audits to a large extent. standard setting procedure, the assessor assures consumers that the fish has been In order for them to grant certification will review ASC's implementation of its farmed in a responsible manner that against individual schemes a farm will ongoing projects later this year. ASC limits the environmental and social need to meet all the scheme's requirements. will then be subject to a peer review to impacts of aquaculture. Other species are likely to be consid- assess its monitoring and evaluation Dutch consumers increasingly prefer ered after the field tests have been system against the ISEAL Impacts Code sustainable seafood. And, with one out evaluated and other combined pilot and its accreditation and certification of three products in Dutch retail stores audits will be available soon. system against the ISEAL Assurance carrying the ASC logo or MSC ecolabel, In 2013, ASC, GAA and Code. retailers actively invest in helping GLOBALG.A.P. signed an Memorandum customers make this choice. of Understanding (MOU) pledging to Dutch consumer campaign This September, Think Fish Week will work together to achieve greater efficien- helps retail promote ASC be held in Belgium for the first time as cies and enable wider access to their cer- certified seafood well as in the Netherlands.