The seriola and cobia standard

Seriola and cobia farmers face a number of issues in bringing their seafood to market. With ASC certification, farmers evidence their contributions to responsible labour practices, disease management, and ecosystem conservation.

ASC sets the standards for environmentally and socially responsible seriola and cobia farming.

Certified farms actively minimise their impact on the surrounding natural environment.

Certified farms operate in a socially responsible manner, care for their employees and work with the local community.

Certified farms actively minimise their impact on the surrounding natural environment.

Certified farms operate in a socially responsible manner, care for their employees and work with the local community.

ASC certification gives farms clear guidelines to follow. The Seriola and Cobia Standard helps protect farms against these issues:

Biodiversity

ASC certified seriola / cobia farms minimise impacts on their neighbouring ecosystem in a number of ways, such as the development and implementation of a biodiversity-focused environmental impact assessment (B-EIA) and ensuring farms are not sited in High Conservation Value Areas (HCVA). Also, acoustic deterrent devices cannot be used on ASC certified seriola / cobia farms. Fish escapes must be minimised and a solid management plan must be implemented to ensure this.

Feed

ASC certification requires seriola / cobia farms to adhere to strict limits to minimise use of wild fish as ingredient for feed. In addition, the standard requires farms to ensure full traceability back to a responsibly managed source, preferably certified, both for wild fish and soy.

Pollution

ASC certified seriola / cobia farms are required to measure various water parameters (nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen levels, etc.) at regular intervals and remain within set limits.

Diseases

ASC certified seriola / cobia farms must adhere to rigorous requirements to minimise disease outbreaks. A Fish Health Management Plan must be developed under supervision of a veterinarian and implemented. This plan details all the steps for biosecurity management. In addition, the use of medicines before a disease is diagnosed (prophylactic use), is prohibited.

Social

ASC certification imposes strict requirements based on the core principles of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), these include prohibiting the use of child labour or any form of forced labour. All ASC certified farms are safe and equitable working environments where employees earn a decent wage and have regulated working hours.