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Feed Dependent

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Criterion 1.2 – Management Systems

Indicators 1.1

Applicability

Indicators

Description

1.1.1

The UoC shall hold all applicable legal licences and permits.

Applicable to

Cages
Flowthrough/Raceway
Other – land based
Other – water based
Ponds
Suspended

Brackish/Marine water
Freshwater

Fed
Non fed

Catfish
Cod
Abalone
Bivalves
Crayfish
Flatfish
Freshwater prawn
Pangasius
Pike-perch
Salmonids – freshwater
Salmonids – marine
Seabass, Seabream, Meagre
Seriola and Cobia
Shrimp
Tilapia
Tropical Marine Fish

1.1.2

The UoC shall comply with all applicable legal requirements, including those relevant to the Criteria within the ASC Farm Standard.

Applicable to

Cages
Flowthrough/Raceway
Other – land based
Other – water based
Ponds
Suspended

Brackish/Marine water
Freshwater

Fed
Non fed

Catfish
Cod
Abalone
Bivalves
Crayfish
Flatfish
Freshwater prawn
Pangasius
Pike-perch
Salmonids – freshwater
Salmonids – marine
Seabass, Seabream, Meagre
Seriola and Cobia
Shrimp
Tilapia
Tropical Marine Fish

Rationale 1.1

A legal business complies with applicable laws, licensing, and permit requirements.

A wide variety of laws and regulations apply to aquaculture. Ensuring national laws are followed, and necessary permits and licences are acquired helps to promote a socially and environmentally responsible aquaculture industry. Compliance also benefits a business by enhancing customer trust, increasing revenue, strengthening reputation, and avoiding legal sanctions and fines44Widjaja, G. (2024). Managing Legal and Corporate Compliance to Induce and Enhance Business. Law and Humanities Quarterly Reviews, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.31014/aior.1996.03.02.115.

This criterion focuses on the legal compliance of ASC-certified farms as the basis of a well-managed business.

Intent – The aquaculture industry complies with all applicable legal requirements.

Criterion 1.1 – Legal Compliance

Principle 1: The aquaculture industry ensures legal compliance and effective business management

Rationale

The aquaculture industry plays a vital role in global food production and economic growth, however its rapid expansion has raised concerns about the social and environmental impacts driven by irresponsible practices.

With rising consumer awareness and demand for responsibly produced food, businesses must be able to trace the origins of their seafood to verify that it is produced responsibly and ethically.

As the industry continues to develop, it is important to comply with law, uphold business ethics and ensure supply chain traceability and transparency as a framework to build a long-lasting industry. This benefits producers, the communities that depend on aquaculture and consumers.

This principle’s criteria address the shortfall that occurs in some regions between national legislation, enforcement and good practice, due to the rapid growth of seafood farming. This ensures that ASC-certified farms are well-managed and legally compliant, thereby contributing to the development of a sustainable seafood farming industry.

Eligible species

The species and genera listed below are eligible for certification. Whenever possible, the naming of species, genera, families and orders adhere to the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS) list of species maintained by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Only hybrid species of two separately eligible species are eligible for certification.

Fish:

  • Catfish – all the species in the genera Clarias, Heterobranchus, Ictalurus, Ameiurus and Silurus

  • Cod – Gadus morhua

  • Flatfish

    • Flounders – all species in the genera Paralichthys and Pseudopleuronectes 

    • Halibut – all species in the genus Hippoglossus 

    • Turbot – all species in the genus Scophthalmus 

  • Pangasius – all species in the family Pangasiidae 

  • Pike-perch – all species in the genus Sander  

  • Salmonids – freshwater

    • Salmon, trout and char – all species in the genera Salmo, Oncorhynchus and Salvelinus 

    • Greyling – all species in the genus Thymallus 

    • Whitefish – all species in the genus Coregonus 

  • Salmonids – marine

    • Salmon, trout and char – all species in the genera Salmo, Oncorhynchus and Salvelinus 

  • Seabass, Seabream, Meagre

    • Seabass – all species in the genus Dicentrarchus 

    • Seabream – all species in the genera Sparus and Pagrus 

    • Meagre – all species in the genus Argyrosomus 

  • Seriola and Cobia

    • Seriola – all species in the genus Seriola 

    • Cobia – Rachycentron canadum 

  • Tilapia – all species in the genera Oreochromis, Coptodon and Tilapia 

  • Tropical Marine Fish

    • Groupers – all species in the genera Epinephelus, Cromileptes, Plectropomus and Cephalopholis 

    • Snappers – all species in the genera Lutjanus and Ocyurus 

    • Pompano – all species in the genus Trachinotus 

    • Barramundi – all species in the genus Lates 

    • Croaker – all species in the genus Larimichthys 

Molluscs:

  • Abalone – all species in the genus Haliotis 

  • Bivalve – all (filter-feeding) species in the class Bivalvia, except the (non-filter-feeding) families Nuculanidae, Nuculidae and Solemyidae

Crustaceans:

  • Shrimp – all species in the genus Penaeus 

  • Freshwater prawn – all species in the genus Macrobrachium 

  • Crayfish – all species in the genera Cherax, Procambarus and Astacus

Applicability across Culture systems, Water types and Species

The ASC Farm Standard applies to the main aquaculture Culture Systems and Water types for eligible species.

All Indicators are applicable unless explicitly stated otherwise in the Criterion, Indicator, or Appendices.

For the applicability of the Indicators, the following is considered:

  • Applicable Laws and Regulations

    • Where a Law or Regulation is more stringent than an Indicator, the UoC shall comply with the Law or Regulation.

    • Where a Law or Regulation is less stringent than an Indicator, the UoC shall conform with the Indicator unless conformance with the Indicator is prohibited by that Law or Regulation.

  • Applicable Culture System

    • Water-based (all have Diffuse Source Effluent Discharge):

      • Cage culture systems

      • Suspended culture systems

      • Other water-based culture systems

    • Land-based (all have Point Source Effluent Discharge):

      • Flowthrough/Raceway culture systems

      • Pond culture systems

      • Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) culture systems

      • Other land-based culture systems

  • Applicable Water Type

    • Freshwater (salinity <0.5 ppt)

    • Brackish Water (salinity 0.5-29.9 ppt)

    • Marine Water (salinity > 29.9 ppt)

  • Applicable Species

    • All species listed under ‘Eligible Species’ below are eligible for certification. Applicability can be assigned at various levels:

      • Animal Group (e.g. Fish)

      • Species Group (e.g. Salmonids)

      • Genus (e.g. Salmo)

      • Species (e.g. S. salar)

  • Applicability Defined Otherwise

    • Certain Indicators apply only to specific circumstances, which are detailed in the Indicator itself.

Additionally, the Standard differentiates between:

  • Fed species and non-fed species.

Examples of UoC Configurations

Culture units and facilities of the UoC might not always be located within the premises of the grow out site. For example, marine cage units, chemical and feed storage facilities, offices and employee accommodation may be located at separate physical locations. Where these components form part of the grow out site’s operations, they are considered part of the UoC.

The following are illustrative, non-normative examples of different UoC configurations.

Example 1 UoC with off-site hatchery, slaughter and processing

Example 2 UoC with on–site hatchery, slaughter and processing

Example 3 UoC with on-site hatchery and off-site slaughter and processing

Example 4 UoC with on-site slaughter and off-site hatchery and processing

Supply Chain and Associated Activities

  • Upstream Supply Chain

    • For some species, the UoC shall demonstrate that upstream supplier sites conform with the requirements outlined in Appendix 14 of the Standard (see Indicator 1.5.2).

    • For marine salmonid species, any cage culture site in the UoC’s upstream supply chain shall be certified against the ASC Farm Standard (see Indicator 1.5.2).

  • Downstream Supply Chain

    • Slaughter:

      • Where the slaughter activity is conducted within the UoC, it is within the scope of the ASC Farm Standard.

      • Where the slaughter activity is conducted outside the UoC, it is not within the scope of the ASC Farm Standard and is instead within the scope of the ASC Chain of Custody (CoC) Certification.

    • Processing and Packing:

      • Processing and packing activities are not within the scope of the ASC Farm Standard and are instead within the scope of the ASC Chain of Custody (CoC) Certification.

  • Transport

    • Where the live aquaculture product remains under the ownership of the UoC during transport to or from the UoC, the transport activity is within the scope of the ASC Farm Standard.

Unit of Certification (UoC)

The UoC may be a single aquaculture grow out site or consist of multiple aquaculture grow out sites.

The following components of the UoC are within scope of the ASC Farm Standard:

  • The farmed species, including any co-habitant species, and the associated culture units (e.g. marine cages);

  • Operational processes and activities;

  • Workers; and

  • Facilities (e.g. storage facilities, offices and accommodation).