Review – Salmon – 3.1.7

Regular operational reviews ensure the continued efficiency of the various ASC standards. They are focused on areas where the performance of a particular standard is not as anticipated, or may not deliver on the intent as set out in the ASC’s Theory of Change.

To learn more about the requirements for Sea lice and Salmon Standard Revision 3.1.7., watch the presentation narrated by Javier Unibazo, Head of Standards.

 

Review – Salmon – Sea Lice: Indicator 3.1.7 (Complete)

The goal of the ASC standards is to provide a means to measurably improve the environmental and social performance of aquaculture operations. To that end, each standard undergoes a periodic review (every 3 to 5 years) to ensure effectiveness, based on latest knowledge and best practices. ASC published in March 2019 – and had a one-month consultation period in 2019 – the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the review and revision of the Salmon Standard’s indicator 3.1.7; which deals, in areas of wild salmonids, with the “maximum on-farm lice levels during sensitive periods for wild fish”.

The following reasons were provided to justify the current revision of the Salmon Standard:

• To review if the current metric of 0.1 remains accurate and reflects best practice within the global salmon industry;
• As an ISEAL Code Compliant organisation, ASC is required to review, and revise where needed, each standard every 3-5 years.

The main objectives thus being to assure that the standards’ metric indicator is set at an accurate level and that this level is substantiated through public data (available during and after consultation).

With the support of a Technical Working Group composed of a (core) Technical Group (TG) and a (wider) Technical Consultation Group (TCG), ASC has in 2019-2020 been reviewing and revising this indicator ensuring that it is set at an accurate level and reflects best practice within the global salmon farming industry.

The scope of the revision includes four specific aspects:

1. Sea Lice species/life stage/gender for which to set a metric.
2. Requirements for non-sensitive periods.
3. Requirements on sea lice sampling protocols.
4. Regional approaches for setting on-farm sea lice levels.

Contact person: Javier Unibazo

FAQ ASC Salmon Standard v.1.4 – Revision Criterion 3.1 on Sea Lice Requirements

[Page last updated on 10.05.2021]

ToR Consultation

Consultation period:

18 March – 18 April 2019

Status: Closed

Public Consultation V

Consultation period:

1 March – 30 April 2022

Status: Closed