Standards & schemes
ASC
In brief
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council certifies farmed seafood against environmental and social criteria. Founded by WWF and the Dutch Sustainable Trade Initiative, ASC historically operated per-species standards (salmon, shrimp, tilapia, bivalves and others); these are now consolidating into a single ASC Farm Standard — V1.0 published, with interim revision V1.0.1A2 applying from August 2026 — covering all certified species under one structure. Requirements address water quality, feed inputs, disease and sea-lice management, escapes, antibiotics, and social conditions on farm. Chain of custody is handled through the shared ASC/MSC CoC Standard, so certified farms can supply the ASC consumer label with traceable product. Certification is performed by independent, accredited certification bodies, and audit reports are published. ASC certification covers the farm and its certified scope; it does not by itself attest to every claim a brand makes about the final product, and the label's meaning depends on the chain-of-custody model behind it.
Conditional relationships
A relationship does not mean that the standard proves or validates every use of a claim.
Recognition & legal context
No reviewed law references are published.
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