First ASC certified pangasius now available in Hong Kong

Seafood shoppers in Hong Kong can now buy ASC certified fish in their local supermarket following Market Place by Jasons’ launch of ASC labelled responsibly farmed pangasius in their stores.

“I’d like to thank Market Place by Jasons for their support of ASC certified farms. By doing so they are bringing certified responsible fish to thousands of people across Hong Kong and giving them the assurance that they are making a responsible choice when they eat ASC certified fish,” said Chris Ninnes, ASC’s CEO.

“I am delighted with the growing support for ASC across Asia. We have seen the launch of ASC certified salmon and pangasius in Japan. And, the Sustainable Seafood Festival across Asia in June has helped to further raise ASC’s profile in the region.

“With the presence of ASC labelled products in 37 counties globally, we have made strong inroads in emerging Asian markets such as South Korea and Taiwan. And, we are very excited that the first ASC certified salmon is also available in Australia.”

Farmed with environmental and social responsibility

The ASC labelled NBM Pangasius fillets 454g is a frozen product farmed and supplied by the ASC certified An My Fish JSB farm in Vietnam.

Farms certified to the ASC standard demonstrate that they use methods which minimise environmental impacts and care for their farm workers and local communities. As a result, they deliver a cleaner seabed, cleaner water, healthier fish, preserve the diversity of species and wild population, follow strict feed requirements and ensure social responsibility.

There are currently 44 pangasius farms certified against the ASC Pangasius Standard and four more farms are under assessment.

Transparent and independent certification process

ASC certified farms are independently assessed by certifiers accredited by ASI (Accreditation Service International). Auditors are required to undertake training and sit a mandatory exam.

To ensure that certified fish is not mixed with non-certified produce, companies wishing to trade ASC certified products must pass a chain of custody audit carried out by an independent certifier. Chain of custody certification guarantees that a product can be traced throughout the entire supply chain to a responsibly managed farm.

ASC certified fish more popular

ASC certified seafood is growing in popularity across Hong Kong and Asia. There are now six ASC labelled products on offer in Hong Kong including pangasius from Godaco Seafoods JSC and An My Fish JSC in Vietnam.