The ASC Invites Comments on the First Phase of the Core Standard

The ASC has published the first draft of the Core Standard methodology and is currently seeking public comment on the new approach.

Public consultation period: 19 August – 19 October 2016

The ASC is seeking stakeholder feedback on the first draft of a proposed Core Standard of indicators. This document harmonises Principles, Rationale, Criteria and Indicators from the 7 current ASC species standards of Salmon, Freshwater trout, Pangasius, Tilapia, Shrimp, bivalves, and abalone. The draft seriola/cobia standard is also being considered and will be included when finalised.

The Core Standard was created in response to demand from the market to produce a certification process that uses the common indicators across multiple species to make the certification process more effective, and to bring new species into the programme in a more efficient manner. The Core Standard will streamline redundancies across the certification process, while increasing the number of species eligible under performance-based requirements that minimise or eliminate the key negative environmental and social impacts of aquaculture.

Agreeing a common set of indicators is the first step in creating a Core Standard. Once these are agreed, a second consultation will be announced to agree harmonised applicability, requirements and methods. The publication of the final Core Standard and species specific annexes will then follow. The ASC anticipates the release of the final standard no later than 2018.

Get involved

Have your say to make sure that the methodology works for you!
All documents for public consultation are available on the ASC website. Comments and questions are to be sent to standards@asc-aqua.org.