ASC strategy

Our Vision

A world where aquaculture plays a major role in supplying food and social benefits for mankind whilst minimising negative impacts on the environment.

Our Mission

To transform aquaculture towards environmental sustainability and social responsibility using efficient market mechanisms that create value across the chain.

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is an independent, international non-profit organisation that manages a certification and labelling programme for responsible aquaculture. Our primary role is to manage the global standards for responsible aquaculture, which were developed by the WWF Aquaculture Dialogues.

ASC’s certification programme rewards responsible farming practices and creates change through four linked initiatives:

• The ASC standards, which assess whether farms are operating responsibly
• The promotion and recognition of responsible farming practices through the use of a consumer facing logo that influences consumer choice
• The use of outreach to commercial partners to create demand and market access for ASC certified seafood
• Collaboration with partners and fellow NGO’s to increase demand for certified seafood via consumer purchasing preference

Creating demand via the ASC-logo

The use of the ASC logo is a key part of our effort to move the aquaculture industry towards sustainability. The logo provides companies with a competitive advantage and is proof of achievement in a market leading programme for the production of responsibly farmed seafood.

Importantly, the ASC logo sends a strong message about the environmental and social integrity of the product on which it appears and sets it apart as the best choice for farmed seafood. It empowers buyers to support farmers who share their values and gives them confidence that their purchase has been responsibly sourced, with minimal impact on society and the environment, and is fully traceable back to a well-managed farm.

Each time a certified product is purchased, demand for responsible aquaculture grows and other farms are encouraged to achieve certification to enjoy an advantaged position in the marketplace.