ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) Standard

The ASC standard is a voluntary, third-party audited certification scheme that sets measurable performance requirements for responsible aquaculture at the farm level. It covers seven species groups (salmonids, tilapia, pangasius, shrimp, bivalves, abalone, and seriola) and evaluates eight core principles: legal compliance, preservation of natural habitat and biodiversity, water quality management, fish health and welfare, responsible feed sourcing, social accountability toward workers and communities, and truthful labeling of certified product. Farms are scored against farm-specific indicators; a salmon farm, for example, must limit escapes toward a near-zero threshold, keep feed fishmeal and fish oil dependency ratios within defined ceilings, and demonstrate that antibiotic use stays below a strict maximum. Certification lasts three years with annual surveillance audits by independent CABs. For producers, ASC is the de facto access ticket to premium EU and North American retail chains, where buyers demand chain-of-custody traceability back to the certified unit, and where uncertified product is increasingly priced out of shelf space.