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Species Scope Extension Project
The project
ASC introduced the Scope Extension Project in 2021 to regularly update the ASC portfolio and promote species diversification within the ASC programme. In the Scope Extension Project, species are added to the programme based on consumer demand, market development opportunity or producer interest. The Scope Extension Project runs in parallel to the development of the ASC Farm Standard. After its release, the new species will be integrated into the standard.
The ASC Programme Development and Revision Procedure 3.0 sets out the general requirements for transparent and accountable preparation, adoption and revision of the ASC Standards. The ASC Metrics Methodology is a process that provides consistent metric-setting. Both processes ensure that the Scope Extension Project is in line with ISEAL requirements.
The process
As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we are always monitoring the aquaculture industry. ASC maintains a list of species requests that will be populated depending on producer, consumer and market requests.
All requests submitted will go through an initial evaluation. This includes scoring the species against general ASC requirements (i.e., production system, environmental, social and feed) and a check for data availability. ASC also performs a market analysis to provide additional information on the market opportunities and relevance.
Some species may be temporarily on hold due to limited scientific literature and data availability. This means that the project will be momentarily paused but a data submission portal will be available for stakeholders to submit data and information on the species of interest. The data submission portal is targeted to producers and academia but all stakeholders involved in a species-specific aquaculture sector can submit additional information. After collecting sufficient information, ASC will continue with the evaluation process.
After approval by the ASC Board, ASC will develop Terms of Reference (TOR) for the project. The TOR will be released during the following round of stakeholder consultation, during which stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the project, see the timeline and understand the plan. Finally, ASC will develop a white paper for each species. This will reflect feedback from the stakeholder consultation and will contain key points relating to the production sector, challenges and opportunities.
The species will then be integrated into the ASC Farm Standard. Criteria from Principle 1 (legal compliance) and 3 (social compliance) will be maintained as the indicators within these principles are not species-specific. Depending on the production system in use, each stakeholder applying for certification will have to conform to system-specific requirements. If metrics are found to be species-specific, the Metrics Methodology will be applied, and the new metrics will be included in the (annexes of the) ASC Farm Standard. When the production system is not included in the ASC Farm Standard, or when important issues are not covered within the principles of the ASC Farm Standard, new indicators may be added by following the Programme Development and Revision Procedure.
When adding new species to the ASC Farm Standard, ASC focuses on the key social and environmental issues that are identified as part of its multi-stakeholder approach. The requirements aim to strike the right balance between mitigating key impacts while not impeding the development of responsible aquaculture operations. The standards should not create obstacles to trade or exclude small-scale farms from market access. ASC strives to address all barriers to engagement in the standard-setting process, which is also applicable to the addition of new species.
Contact person: Fabiola Mustafaj
