SeafoodSource is closely following the sustainable seafood movement by compiling a regular round-up of sector updates about sustainability initiatives and certifications.
- The Aquaculture Stewardship Council has released a new interactive report which demonstrates the increased impact of its work.
ASC certified 2,062 farms producing 58 different species worldwide in 2023, according to its report. These farms produced 2.4 million tons (4.8 billion pounds) of responsibly sourced seafood in 2023, an increase of 8.6 percent year over year.
In 2023, ASC headed three major aquaculture improvement projects, supporting 129 farms to improve the sustainability of their production and make themselves eligible for certification.
Additionally, nine feed mills were certified under the ASC feed standard, 1,367 audits of farm performances were run in 51 countries, and over 300 stakeholders participated in a public consultation on the new ASC farm standard.
ASC reported in 2023, use of its eco-label expanded, and consumer research conducted as part of the report found that respondents from 14 countries recognized ASC as the most-trusted farmed seafood label.
– The Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) also released its 2023 annual report, which details the growth of GSA’s certification programs, particularly the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) and Best Seafood Practices (BSP) programs. As of the end of 2023, GSA had certified nearly 4,000 processing plants, farms, hatcheries, and feel mills in 43 countries.
GSA was also active in 2023 in advocacy and education, holding events like the Responsible Seafood Summit, which brought 360 global stakeholders to Canada to participate in knowledge sharing and bridging differences between aquaculture and fisheries.
– Norway-based Polarfeed’s factory in Øksfjord, Finnmark is the first feed production facility in Europe to receive an Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) feed certification.
ASC certification is awarded primarily to aquaculture farms that meet high environmental and labor standards. Other companies have achieved ASC certifications for their factories, but Polarfeed’s Øksfjord facility is the first factory in the European Union to meet these standards.
"The certification was crucial for delivering to customers with ASC-certified locations, and it has also helped us better systematize our sustainability efforts," Polarfeed CEO Thomas Pettersen said in a release.
– Two vessels in Austral Fisheries' fleet have achieved FISH Standard for Crew certification of their labor practices onboard. The Australia-flagged vessels, the Cape Arkona and Isla Eden, harvest Patagonian toothfish and mackerel icefish in the Southern Ocean.
FISH Standard for Crew is an accredited third-party certification program for labor practices for which vessels can voluntarily apply. It signifies recognition that crew members on such vessels are recruited and hired ethically, treated with respect, paid properly, and have processes by which they can address grievances when necessary.
FISH STandard for Crew Chair Fridrik Fridriksson said seafood consumers are increasingly committed to seafood “that is not only environmentally sustainable, but also harvested by crew who are treated with respect and fairness."
“FISH can serve as a credible, third-party tool that organizations like Austral can use to demonstrate commitments to, and care of, their fishers," he said.