Seafood will get ethical label

A certification programme for responsible seafood farming is to be offered to businesses across the world.
 
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), founded by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative, will certify farms that comply with responsible aquaculture standards that will aim to minimize the social and environmental impacts of farming seafood such as salmon, shrimp, trout, mussels, clams, oysters and scallops.  

The standards will apply to the 12 aquaculture species that have the greatest impact on the environment, the highest market value or the heaviest trading in the global market, or all three. Aquaculture – the cultivation of the natural produce of water – is the world’s fastest-growing food production system.

Like the Marine Stewardship Council, the ASC will offer a logo to retailers that will verify certified, sustainably sourced seafood.

The standards are being drawn up by more than 2000 stakeholders in the industry, including farmers, conservationists and government officials, and are due to be finalized in 2010. The certification system is expected to be operating by 2011.