Salmon farm. (Photo Credit: Tassal)

All Tassal's salmon operations now ASC certified

AUSTRALIA
Monday, November 17, 2014, 23:20 (GMT + 9)

Tasmanian salmon producer Tassal has achieved the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification for all of its salmon farming operations.

Tassal's Macquarie Harbour Farm was awarded ASC certification back in April, making it the first fish farm in Australia to meet the ASC standard. The company then went on to complete their farm assessments in September, gaining certification for the last of their farms last week.

Head of Sustainability at Tassal, Linda Sams, said: "According to predictions Australia is expected to import over one million tonnes of seafood by 2020 - incredible considering the country's potential to farm our own stocks locally. There is a clear opportunity here for local growth to meet the demand for responsibly produced salmon.

"We have invested a huge amount of time, resources and money into ensuring all of our sites not only reach, but exceed the standards set by the ASC; the global benchmark for responsible aquaculture."

Tassal has worked closely in partnership with WWF since 2012 to develop their responsible aquaculture production to meet the requirements of the ASC Salmon Standard.

Over that time they have implemented significant upgrades. For example, improving their feed formulation to reduce the reliance on fishmeal and fish oil; replacing the last of their copper treated nets; introducing a fish health department and fish welfare programme; and creating an ASC dashboard that publicly reports on any antibiotic use, wildlife interactions or unexplained fish loss.

ASC's CEO, Chris Ninnes, said: "I'd like to congratulate Tassal and its staff for their effort and commitment to achieving ASC certification for all of their farms. Their work and dedication will undoubtedly have a positive effect for the future of aquaculture in the region as it moves towards environmental sustainability and social responsibility.

"The market response since the launch of the ASC salmon standard has been remarkable. And, I'm delighted to see it expand in Australia," Ninnes added.

The Tassal farms' certificates were awarded following assessment by SCS Global Services (SCS), an independent, accredited certification body.

ASC strives to have a fully transparent certification process. The announcement of the farm audit was publicly visible for at least 30 days before the actual audit. Once the farms had been assessed by SCS, the certifier produced the draft farm audit reports, which were published on ASC's website for a minimum of 10 working days for comment.

The decision on whether or not the farm is awarded ASC certification is made by the certifier and is based on the last version of the report.

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