Relevant to

Seafood suppliers: processors, traders and supply chain companies handling ASC certified products companies, retail stores, fish counters, restaurants and caterers.

If your organization is involved in the production or supply of farmed fish, with Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification you can show your customers and partners that the fish you work with were farmed responsibly.

ASC Chain of Custody is an international environmental certification program for farmed fish and shellfish. For a fish or shellfish product to be sold to a consumer with the ASC label, all the companies in the supply chain – including yours – have to be certified by an independent certification body like Kiwa. Certification guarantees the fish are farmed responsibly, and provides traceability back to where they were farmed.

ASC Chain of Custody certification lets you offer ASC-labelled fish and shellfish that were farmed responsibly and sustainably. But more than that, it shows that your organization takes responsibility for the responsible farming of fish, for protecting the environment and for a sustainable seafood market.

What you need to know

ASC certification covers a variety of criteria, depending on the species of fish or shellfish, the location and farming method. Criteria can include the water being treated before it’s released from the fish farm, any fish food being responsibly sourced, biodiversity being protected and use of antibiotics being limited.

In order to be certified, you need to trace the fish back to their source, and demonstrate that farming practices are high quality.

Certification with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) – an ecolabel for wild caught fish and shellfish – is a basic requirement for ASC certification.

Getting certified with Kiwa

Sustainability is a key concern in the fisheries industry, and as part of the fish and shellfish value chain, you have a responsibility to support it. What’s more, your customers and partners want to see evidence that your products were farmed responsibly, with respect for the animals’ welfare and for the environment.

By partnering with Kiwa for your ASC certification, you can be sure of a robust, credible process that proves your commitment to responsible, sustainable fish farming.

At Kiwa, we use a third-party certification system, which means that certification of farms and product suppliers is done by independent certifiers. These certifiers are accredited and monitored by an independent accreditation organization, Accreditation Services International. This ensures our program is robust, credible and meets best practice guidelines for standard-setting organizations, as set out by ISEAL Alliance and the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

USPs/benefits

  • Boost your profits – by enabling you to sell or work with ASC-certified fish and shellfish, ASC certification can open up new markets – and improve profit
  • Improve processes – identify areas for improvement and work through an action plan with the ASC certification auditor
  • Ensure traceability – with ASC certification, you can be sure of the origin of your fish and shellfish supplies, and show that you manage traceability
  • Demonstrate your commitment to sustainability – ASC certification shows that you take responsibility for your role in a sustainable seafood market
  • Meet customers’ needs – by working with ASC-certified fish, you can meet customers’ demands for proof of responsible farming
  • Strengthen your position in the supply chain – ASC certification lets you work as part of a certified value chain, supporting responsible aquaculture