Life cycle assessments indicate that feed can account for up to 90 percent of the environmental impacts of aquaculture production, with the vast majority of those impacts typically occurring during the production and harvesting of raw materials for feed – through deforestation, land conversion, fisheries management, agricultural practices, and more.
To address these impacts, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has released a new Feed Standard that will be fully in effect by 31 October 2025.
Denmark-based aquafeed company BioMar Group was involved in the development of ASC’s new feed standard, including one of the first audits under the standard at BioMar’s Grangemouth facility in Scotland.
SeafoodSource spoke with Paddy Campbell, BioMar’s vice president for salmon, about the value of a feed standard for companies and supply chains.
SEAFOODSOURCE: How does the ASC Feed Standard help a company like BioMar, and what is the value of the standard to your supply chain partners and customers?
CAMPBELL: The ASC Feed Standard provides a robust framework that aligns with BioMar’s longstanding commitment to responsible sourcing and transparency in the aquaculture industry. For us, the standard helps validate and strengthen the sustainability credentials of our feeds, ensuring that we are meeting the highest industry benchmarks. For our customers – fish farmers – it provides a clear pathway to responsible sourcing and enhances their ability to meet their consumer and retailer demands for responsibly raised seafood.
At the supply chain level …
