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• The expansion comes at a crucial time: when quotas for wild-caught of the species are declining and global demand is on the rise
Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) announced this week a significant expansion of its program with the launch of Atlantic cod certification under the newly revised ASC Salmon and Cod Standard v1.5. Effective immediately, cod producers can now apply for ASC certification, marking an important milestone for responsible aquaculture. According to them, this expansion comes at a crucial time: with quotas for wild-caught cod declining and global demand on the rise, farmed Atlantic cod is becoming essential to ensuring a stable, sustainable supply.
By bringing cod into its certification program, ASC will help drive improvements in farming practices, strengthen environmental responsibility, and ensure fair and safe working conditions across the sector. We are delighted to officially welcome Atlantic cod into the ASC Certification Program. This launch is not only a milestone for responsible aquaculture but also a testament to the valuable input we received from stakeholders throughout the consultation process,” said Chris Ninnes, CEO of ASC.
“Their expertise and feedback have been essential in ensuring the standard reflects the realities of cod farming while upholding the highest environmental and social benchmarks. Together, we are helping build a future where cod aquaculture can thrive responsibly,” he added.
Transition Period to the New Farm Standard
The revised standard introduces cod alongside salmon without altering existing requirements for salmon producers. Cod farms will initially be assessed against a modified ASC Salmon Standard, enabling rapid access to certification.
Atlantic Cod has been added to the scope of the ASC Salmon Standard initially, allowing cod farmers the same transition period to the new Farm Standard as existing certified producers. After the two-year transition period, Atlantic cod will be fully integrated into the ASC Farm Standard.
Because salmon and cod farming practices are similar in many aspects, the Salmon Standard ensures a smooth and practical pathway to certification. The programme addresses core sustainability issues such as biodiversity protection, disease management, resource efficiency, and ecosystem impacts.
Welfare Is Maintained Across Farms
Although cod is a relatively new species in aquaculture, the Salmon Standard already covers core areas of animal welfare such as health management and healthy living environment. The ASC Farm Standard further expands these general requirements that apply to all fish species, ensuring that welfare is maintained across farms regardless of the species being produced. These requirements cover key areas such as water quality, feeding, health and welfare management, handling, and slaughter — all of which support good welfare outcomes for cod.
According to ASC, as cod farming continues to develop, they will monitor emerging insights and any species-specific welfare concerns, incorporating them into future versions of the Standard if needed to keep it current.
Among Top Ecolabels
ASC has once again been recognized as a Top Ecolabel by the independent Dutch organization Milieu Centraal, reaffirming their position as the global leader in responsible aquaculture certification.
Milieu Centraal, which is supported by the Dutch government, reviews consumer-facing ecolabels every three years, assessing their credibility, transparency and impact. Its latest results, published on 30 September, confirm ASC’s continued status as a trusted and high-performing certification for responsibly farmed seafood.
Importantly, this recognition follows significant updates to Milieu Centraal’s benchmarking methodology since the previous assessment in 2022. The 2025 assessment evaluated the new ASC Farm Standard, which consolidates and strengthens requirements across all certified farms. As a result, ASC now stands out as the only Top Ecolabel for farmed fish and seafood that covers environmental responsibility, social accountability and fish welfare.
Chris Ninnes, CEO of ASC, said, “We are proud that Milieu Centraal continues to recognize ASC as a leading ecolabel. Their independent assessment confirms the robustness of our new Farm Standard and reflects our mission to drive improvements in aquaculture worldwide. It is further reassurance for consumers that ASC-certified seafood is produced with care for the environment, workers, and communities.”
The post Cod Producers Can Already Apply for ASC Certification appeared first on Aquaculture Magazine.
Read more...
Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) announced this week a significant expansion of its program with the launch of Atlantic cod certification under the newly revised ASC Salmon and Cod Standard v1.5. Effective immediately, cod producers can now apply for ASC certification, marking an important milestone for responsible aquaculture. According to them, this expansion comes at a crucial time: with quotas for wild-caught cod declining and global demand on the rise, farmed Atlantic cod is becoming essential to ensuring a stable, sustainable supply.
By bringing cod into its certification program, ASC will help drive improvements in farming practices, strengthen environmental responsibility, and ensure fair and safe working conditions across the sector. We are delighted to officially welcome Atlantic cod into the ASC Certification Program. This launch is not only a milestone for responsible aquaculture but also a testament to the valuable input we received from stakeholders throughout the consultation process,” said Chris Ninnes, CEO of ASC.
“Their expertise and feedback have been essential in ensuring the standard reflects the realities of cod farming while upholding the highest environmental and social benchmarks. Together, we are helping build a future where cod aquaculture can thrive responsibly,” he added.
Transition Period to the New Farm Standard
The revised standard introduces cod alongside salmon without altering existing requirements for salmon producers. Cod farms will initially be assessed against a modified ASC Salmon Standard, enabling rapid access to certification.
Atlantic Cod has been added to the scope of the ASC Salmon Standard initially, allowing cod farmers the same transition period to the new Farm Standard as existing certified producers. After the two-year transition period, Atlantic cod will be fully integrated into the ASC Farm Standard.
Because salmon and cod farming practices are similar in many aspects, the Salmon Standard ensures a smooth and practical pathway to certification. The programme addresses core sustainability issues such as biodiversity protection, disease management, resource efficiency, and ecosystem impacts.
Welfare Is Maintained Across Farms
Although cod is a relatively new species in aquaculture, the Salmon Standard already covers core areas of animal welfare such as health management and healthy living environment. The ASC Farm Standard further expands these general requirements that apply to all fish species, ensuring that welfare is maintained across farms regardless of the species being produced. These requirements cover key areas such as water quality, feeding, health and welfare management, handling, and slaughter — all of which support good welfare outcomes for cod.
According to ASC, as cod farming continues to develop, they will monitor emerging insights and any species-specific welfare concerns, incorporating them into future versions of the Standard if needed to keep it current.
Among Top Ecolabels
ASC has once again been recognized as a Top Ecolabel by the independent Dutch organization Milieu Centraal, reaffirming their position as the global leader in responsible aquaculture certification.
Milieu Centraal, which is supported by the Dutch government, reviews consumer-facing ecolabels every three years, assessing their credibility, transparency and impact. Its latest results, published on 30 September, confirm ASC’s continued status as a trusted and high-performing certification for responsibly farmed seafood.
Importantly, this recognition follows significant updates to Milieu Centraal’s benchmarking methodology since the previous assessment in 2022. The 2025 assessment evaluated the new ASC Farm Standard, which consolidates and strengthens requirements across all certified farms. As a result, ASC now stands out as the only Top Ecolabel for farmed fish and seafood that covers environmental responsibility, social accountability and fish welfare.
Chris Ninnes, CEO of ASC, said, “We are proud that Milieu Centraal continues to recognize ASC as a leading ecolabel. Their independent assessment confirms the robustness of our new Farm Standard and reflects our mission to drive improvements in aquaculture worldwide. It is further reassurance for consumers that ASC-certified seafood is produced with care for the environment, workers, and communities.”
The post Cod Producers Can Already Apply for ASC Certification appeared first on Aquaculture Magazine.
Read more...