Problems caused by marine litter and aquaculture gear in the aquatic environment include ingestion by animals, entrapment and entanglement of animals, physical impacts on the benthos, disruption and loss of coastal areas, potential human exposure to microplastics and chemicals through the food chain, etc… ASC’s November 2019 white paper finds that while lost plastic and debris from aquaculture and capture fisheries are often considered together, this is a not a helpful approach as the causes are often quite different.

In the future, ASC certified producers will be required to carry out a risk assessment of potential plastic contamination and pollution, and to implement mitigation actions to minimise the impact at the farm and its surroundings. Farms will need to record all used and disposed plastic material; and should implement a plastic waste monitoring programme to ensure waste is disposed in a responsible manner, recycling when possible.

In August 2018, ASC became the first and only aquaculture body to sign an agreement with the GGGI pledging to develop scientific knowledge of the impact of plastic waste and aquaculture gear used in farming, and to establish best practices that can be applied in ASC’s standards. GGGI is the world’s largest cross-sectoral alliance dedicated to finding solutions to the problem of abandoned, lost or otherwise abandoned fishing gear (ALDFG, also known as ‘ghost gear’). It works globally and locally with a diverse group including industry, private sector, academia, governments and NGOs, to build evidence, define best practices, inform policy, and find solutions for issues related to ghost gear. ASC was the first aquaculture body to join the initiative.

Through their collaboration, ASC and GGGI are working on developing a refined science-based definition for aquaculture gear and are conducting risk assessments for each aquaculture gear type.