ASC certified tilapia now available

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) on Monday announced the market launch of its global, independent trademark for responsibly farmed seafood.

Tilapia from Indonesia is the first farmed fish to earn ASC certification. The tilapia products bearing the ASC eco-label will be available in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Demark, Sweden, France, Belgium, Spain and Canada.

The tilapia comes from the first certified farm in Indonesia, which is operated by Regal Springs. The farm uses large floating cages that have demonstrated minimal impact on the environment. In cooperation with NGOs and scientists, Regal Springs continuously monitors the water quality.

Additional tilapia farms in Honduras, Taiwan, Ecuador and Malaysia have all formally announced they will be audited to the ASC standards. Standards to be developed later this year for other species will include pangasius, clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, abalone and salmon. Standards for shrimp and trout will be finalized soon and the first farm audits may take place before the end of this year.

“The demand for protein-rich seafood is rapidly increasing,” said Johan van de Gronden, WWF Netherlands director. “If we do nothing, there will be major environmental consequences. Some fish and shrimp farms in Asia have seriously affected valuable mangrove forest areas that serve as nurseries for the ocean and constitute natural coastal defenses. Aquaculture can contribute to feeding the growing world population, but this must be done responsibly. The introduction of certified tilapia today is just the first step. Soon, other products bearing the ASC logo will be available in stores and in restaurants. Together we can make responsibly farmed fish mainstream.”

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