The tropical marine finfish standard

The farming of tropical marine finfish includes Grouper, snapper, pompano, barramundi, and croaker. Tropical marine finfish 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 tropical marine finfish 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 Tropical Marine Finfish Standard helps protect farms against these issues:

Biodiversity

ASC certified tropical marine finfish farms minimise impacts on the local ecosystem in a number of ways, such as the development and implementation of a biodiversity-focused impact assessment ensuring farms are not sited on critical habitats. Certified farms are not allowed to establish themselves in mangrove ecosystems, and farms built in mangrove areas prior to May 1999 are required to partially restore lost mangrove forest. Producers must greatly minimise any fish escapes. All lethal incidents with wildlife must be reported to the ASC.

Feed

ASC certification requires tropical marine finfish farms to adhere to strict limits to minimise the use of wild fish as an 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 non-marine ingredients including soy and palm oil.

Pollution

ASC certified tropical marine finfish farms are required to measure various water parameters (phosphorus, oxygen levels etc.) at regular intervals and remain within set limits. Potential copper release into the water must be minimised and monitored.

Diseases

ASC certified abalone farms must adhere to rigorous requirements to minimise disease outbreaks. A disease management protocol must be developed for health surveillance and disease response. 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 among others 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. Farmers need to engage with local communities (including indigenous people), have a community stakeholder complaints process in place, and inform local communities about potential health and safety risks or changes in access to resources.