May 9, 2023

 

New feed mill standard a huge leap for Aquaculture Stewardship Council, says official

 

 

 

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council's (ASC) new feed mill standard represents a big step for the organisation, according to ASC Feed Standard Senior Coordinator Alexandra Warrington.

 

The standard was published a year and a half ago and became effective in January. Certification bodies are now beginning the accreditation process and will commence audits later this year, Warrington told SeafoodSource at the 2023 Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Spain.

 

"We're taking all of the same rigor to the ASC assurance and now applying it down at the feed mill level," Warrington said.

 

After nearly eight years of development, the standard has legal, social and environmental components and provides transparency to the mills' practices, Warrington noted.

 

"It's not an easy standard, but it's taking those key risks and saying we want to prevent the worst of the worst in the supply chain," Warrington added.

 

ASC will be investigating all feed ingredients processed by the mills and assessing them against key risk factors common in the marketplace.

 

"We've listened to the industry," Warrington remarked. "With this new standard, we offer more flexibility with sourcing certified materials."

 

As a part of the new certification, ASC is offering a three-year window for mills to make improvements to their processes. 

 

"We recognise that a fishery takes time to go through its journey," Warrington said. "If you're starting at a fishery improvement project, then you're progressing hopefully to MarinTrust, then the end goal is Marine Stewardship Council certification."

 

ASC aims to see its first feed mill certified later in 2023.

 

- SeafoodSource