ASC PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY WITHIN AQUACULTURE

ASC promoting transparency within aquaculture. The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and it’s hard to overstate their importance. The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) have created an innovate methodology to map their performance against the SDGs within their ‘sphere of influence’ and quantified how each of the SDGs and SDG targets are addressed, also highlighting where there is room for improvement.

Bertrand Charron, Director of Research and Insight, told Fish Focus that he strongly advocated of a more holistic approach to the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability, accounting (& accountability) and that transparency in the realm of seafood & oceans governance was key.

“Companies on the ASC Certification programme, are helped towards their SDG Goals, without being compelled to do so by the ASC.

“Requirements that all farms need to meet to obtain, and retain, ASC certification need to be relevant and consistent. ASC can act on market demand for new species and add new production systems to the programme. Previous requirements are enhanced and new ones are added to address the key environmental and social impacts from aquaculture.”

The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals

The SDGs are the shared plan to end inequality, reduce poverty and protect our planet by 2030. In 2015, 193 countries adopted this shared vision. Inspiring people from all sectors, geographical areas and cultures, will take a momentous effort, along with the ability to adapt to changing trends and new information.

What do the SDGs mean for Aquaculture?

The SDGs consist of 17 goals with 169 targets which provide a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. Aquaculture is already feeding billions, and its contribution will continue to grow but the benefits must not be outweighed by negative environmental and social impacts To ensure positive impacts, aquaculture, like all global industries, can and must do its part to verifiably deliver the SDGs by 2030.

Going above and beyond

All aquaculture naturally delivers on some SDGs more than others, but the benefits could be mitigated or even outweighed by negative social and environmental impacts. ASC and certified operations address impacts and many SDG targets holistically, ensuring they have a verifiable positive impacts.

All SDGs are addressed by ASC’s work

82 of 169 targets (49%) are addressed 80% are addressed Well – 41.5% or Very Well – 40.2%.

ASC Climate Strategy

Addressing the greenhouse emissions of certified aquaculture production through ASC Standards. Also working to understand ASC’s own organisational CHG emissions.

The Climate change strategy is built on four pillars:
Measuring and reporting CHG emissions
Avoiding wasted energy use and reducing CHG emissions at source
Restoring climate-critical habitats. Supporting communities to adapt to climate change
Analysing and sharing data and information

ASC Feed Standard

70% of aquaculture production (apart from algae) is fed.

Feed ingredients can represent 80% of aquaculture’s carbon footprint, usually at feed ingredient production level (deforestation, land conversion, fisheries management, agricultural practices etc.).

High risk of forced and child labour in some agricultural and fisheries supply chains.

The benefits of the ASC Feed Standard are:

• Increased transparency
• Generating demand for more responsibly produced feed and seafood
• Responsible sourcing requirements, mitigating the environmental impact of feed
• Future supply protection with farmers and suppliers requiring to source ASC compliant feed
• The first standard to consider environmental and social impacts across all key ingredient groups and throughout feed ingredient supply chains

ASC Improver Programme

Providing shrimp farms committed to improving farming practices through an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP).

ASC Farm Standard

ASC is aligning its eleven species standards into a single ASC Farm Standard, covering all currently certifiable species.

ASC Human Rights Projects

The single ASC Farm Standard brings an opportunity to further develop and strengthen human rights within aquaculture.

• Human rights awareness
• Prevention of forced child labour
• Prevention of discrimination
• Health and safety
• Collective bargaining and freedom of association
• Transparent contracts
• Wages
• Working hours
• Workplace conduct response
• Employee accommodation
• Grievance mechanisms
• Community engagement

About 28 million people are involved in the supply chain of farmed seafood. ASC have a mission to improve wellbeing, quality of life and protect the human rights of people involved in the industry.