Species and Planning
In total eight standards, covering twelve species, have been formulated by the Aquaculture Dialogues initiated by WWF. Five Standards - for Abalone, Bivalves, Freshwater Trout, Pangasius, Tilapia and Salmon - have already been finalised. The ASC Standard for Shrimp is expected end 2013. Seriola/Cobia will follow later.
Below you find an overview of the species groups. For more information per species, please click on 'Read more' for the species that interest you in the text below.
| Species groups | Aquaculture Dialogues | ||
| Abalone
| The Abalone Aquaculture Dialogue began in 2008. The process, which ended in October 2010, involved discussions with scientists, farmers, conservationists and others in the world's key abalone producing regions. Also, the draft standards were posted twice for public comment. More than 100 people participated in the process. On May 3, 2011, the Abalone Standard was officially handed over by the WWF to ASC during the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels. Accreditation (for certifiers) was launched in the 3rd quarter of 2012, after the pilot-testing of the Audit Manual for the ASC Abalone Standard. For more information about Abalone, click here Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue at WWF's website Read the ASC Abalone Standard
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| Bivalves
| The first Bivalve (clams, mussels, scallops and oysters) Aquaculture Dialogue meeting was held in August 2004. The Dialogue was on hold for a few years because of funding delays, then re-initiated in October 2007. The Aquaculture Dialogue standards for bivalves have been finalised in August 2010. On May 3, 2011, the Bivalves Standard was officially handed over by the WWF to ASC during the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels. Accreditation (for certifiers) was launched in the 3rd quarter of 2012, after the pilot-testing of the Audit Manual for the ASC Bivalves Standard. For more information about Bivalves, click here Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue at WWF’s website Read the ASC Bivalves Standard
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| Cobia
| The inaugural meeting of the Seriola/Cobia Aquaculture Dialogue was held in February 2009. At this first meeting, participants developed the goals and objectives of the Dialogue. Over the course of the Dialogue, participants will identify key environmental and social impacts associated with the farming of Cobia. They will create principles for addressing each impact. Next, they will develop criteria on how to reduce each impact and the indicators that will address how to measure the extent of each impact. This will be the framework for creating measurable, performance-based standards. The first draft is expected in 2013. For more information about Cobia, click here. Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue
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| Freshwater Trout
| The first meeting of the Freshwater Trout Aquaculture Dialogue was held in Denmark in November 2008. At the second meeting of the Dialogue in May 2009, participants drafted the criteria on how to reduce farming impact. In their meeting of November 2009, Dialogue participants formulated draft indicators. Technical experts are working to strengthen the indicators so they can be used to create measurable, performance-based standards for freshwater trout farming. It is planned to launch accreditation (for certifiers) in the 4th quarter of 2012, after the pilot-testing of the Audit Manual for the ASC Trout Standard. For more information about Trout, click here. Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue at WWF's website
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| Pangasius
| The first draft of principles, criteria, indicators and standards was posted in April 2009 for the first of two 60-day public comment periods. Feedback received was discussed at the meeting held in August in Vietnam, and used to revise the document. The second draft of the standards document was posted for public comment on November 20, 2009. The Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue standards have been finalised in August 2010. On May 3, 2011, the Pangasius Standard was officially handed over by the WWF to ASC during the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels. On April 23, 2012, the accreditation (of certifiers) was opened for the ASC Pangasius Standard. A growing number of farms has been certified against the ASC standard. The farms certified can be found here. For more information about Pangasius, click here. Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue at WWF's website Read the ASC Pangasius Standard
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| Salmon'
| The Salmon Aquaculture Dialogue started in 2004. Final draft principles and criteria, available in English and Spanish, are based on latest input received during two public comment periods and at Dialogue meetings held in 2008 and 2009. The Steering Committee has published it final draft on February 7, 2012. The related Audit Manual is being developed. Accreditation (for certifiers) was launched in the 3rd quarter of 2012, after the pilot testing of the ASC Salmon standard. For more information about Salmon, click here Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue at WWF's website Read the (final draft of the) Salmon Standard
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| Seriola
| The inaugural meeting of the Seriola/Cobia Aquaculture Dialogue was held in February 2009. At this first meeting, participants developed the goals and objectives of the Dialogue. Over the course of the Dialogue, participants will identify key environmental and social impacts associated with the farming of Cobia. They will create principles for addressing each impact. Next, they will develop criteria on how to reduce each impact and the indicators that will address how to measure the extent of each impact. This will be the framework for creating measurable, performance-based standards. The first draft of the standard is expected in 2013. For more information about Seriola, click here Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue
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| Shrimp
| The Global Steering Committee (GSC) of the Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue created several Technical Working Groups, engaging with key people worldwide. By means of a series of meetings, both in person and via electronic tools (e.g. web conferencing) and 2 rounds of public consultation the final draft of the Shrimp Standard was published December 21, 2011. The final standard is to be confimed (expected 2013).
The related Audit Manual is being developed. Audit Manual for the ASC Shrimp Standard will be pilot tested by ASC once it has received the final Shrimp standard and the DRAFT Audit Manual from the Aquaculture Dialogue. Final Audit Manual is expected 6 months after ASC receives the aforementioned documents. For more information about Shrimp, click here Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue at WWF's website
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| Tilapia
| Through a five-year Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue (TAD), coordinated by WWF, over 200 people created global requirements designed to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of tilapia farming. Tilapia farmers who adopt the standards will earn a certificate to prove that their seafood was farmed environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible. On May 3, 2011, the Tilapia Standard was officially handed over by the WWF to ASC during the European Seafood Exposition in Brussels. On March 21, 2012, the accreditation (of certifiers) was opened for the ASC Tilapia Standard. A growing number of farms across the World has been certified against this standard. Find a certified farm! For more information about Tilapia, click here Read more on the Aquaculture Dialogue at WWF's website Read the ASC Tilapia Standard |
