Records of regular litter collection activities and the responsible disposal of any items recovered.

Regular litter collection activities have taken place.

Alternatively, conduct a visual inspection to demonstrate low levels of waste are present on the receiving shoreline or land surrounding the site.

Global Ghost Gear Initiative (2021) Best Practice Framework for the Management of Aquaculture Gear. Prepared by Huntington, T. of Poseidon Aquatic Resources Management Ltd. for GGGI. 81 pp. plus appendices: GGGI_Best_Practice_Framework_for_the_Management_of_Aquaculture_Gear.pdf

The site should develop a maintenance plan that identifies the schedule for regular maintenance of machinery, aquaculture gear and infrastructure.

The person(s) conducting maintenance should have an adequate level of competence based on the type of maintenance required.

Maintenance plan that identifies the schedule for regular maintenance of machinery, aquaculture gear and infrastructure.

Records to demonstrate maintenance was performed according to the schedule outlined in the maintenance plan.

Written justification should be in place in cases of deviation from the schedule outlined in the maintenance plan.

The site has a maintenance plan covering regular maintenance of machinery, aquaculture gear and infrastructure.

Records that the schedule has been adhered to.

An appropriate effluent treatment should be able to eliminate or reduce to acceptable levels the discharge of (amongst others):

An effluent monitoring plan appropriate for the type and amount of processing effluent discharged.

Including the parameters, frequency of monitoring and acceptable limits.

Analysis results of the parameters included in the effluent monitoring plan.

Corrective actions when analysis results exceed acceptable levels.

Effluent monitoring plan has been developed and implemented.

This includes monitoring analysis results.

Corrective actions taken when analysis results exceed acceptable levels.

V. Venugopal, A. Sasidharan (2021). Seafood industry effluents: Environmental hazards, treatment and resource recovery. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering.

Sites should identify and classify waste based on where it will be disposed of. This includes the following types of waste:

Based on the classification, sites should determine the facilities to use for waste disposal, for example:

Identification and classification of waste.

Records confirming that waste is disposed of in appropriate facilities according to its classification and the legality of those facilities.

The site:

Filters or screen barriers installed in the effluent pipe/channel prior to discharge are examples of methods for capturing non-biological solid waste.

Based on their context, sites should identify and assess non-biological solid waste that could end up in the effluent to determine the most appropriate method for its capture.

Identification (e.g. a list) of non-biological solid waste generated at the site.

An assessment of the characteristics of non-biological solid waste to determine the most appropriate method for capturing it in case it ends up in the effluent.

Records of maintenance of the method used to capture non-biological solid waste (if applicable, e.g. filter or screen barriers).

The site has identified and assessed non-biological solid waste generated.

Through site inspection, the method to capture non-biological solid waste prior to effluent discharges and its suitability.

‘Reducing’ refers to using fewer materials, like fewer plastic bottles or buying materials, like products or equipment, with less packaging.

This will cut down on waste from the start.

‘Reusing’ refers to using materials again instead of disposing of them.

‘Recycling’ refers to collecting and processing materials to be turned into new materials.

As a means of giving materials a new use instead of disposing of them as waste in landfills.

Sites should identify the materials used and assess whether it is reasonably practical to prioritise reduction, reuse and recycling over disposal.

The assessment should consider, for example, the availability of recycling facilities in the area.

If applicable, the outcome of the assessment should be turned into policies or procedures.

Identification of materials used and an assessment of the feasibility of reducing, reusing and recycling.

Policies and procedures outlining the steps to handle materials deemed feasible for reduction, reuse and recycling.

Employees should be aware of these policies or procedures.

The site identified the material used and assessed the feasibility of reducing, reusing and recycling.

Materials identified as feasible to reduce, reuse or recycle are effectively and appropriately reduced, reused or recycled.

Employees’ awareness of the policies and procedures that outline the steps to handle materials deemed feasible for reduction, reuse and recycling.

Public disclosure of energy use and GHG data are not required by the ASC Farm Standard. Instead, reporting to ASC is required.

This ensures that energy use and GHG performance of ASC certified production can be tracked and communicated in an aggregated form and also supports assessment of the requirements and identification of common issues, errors or need for improved guidance.

Data submitted to ASC is used in accordance with ASC’s data use policies.

There are two data submission templates: one for energy use and one for GHG emissions.

Data submitted to ASC should reflect the same calculation results as demonstrated during the audit in compliance with Indicators 2.10.1 and 2.10.2.

Data submission for both energy use and GHG emissions is on an annual basis. However, in some cases, sites may not have new data to submit in a given year.

If the site is calculating values relative to a production cycle and a new production cycle has not completed since the prior year’s data submission. In this case, data submission is still required but may reflect the same submission as the prior year.

If calculating values for three consecutive years of production and previous records are not available, data submissions in the first and second years may reflect one or two years of production, respectively.

Demonstration of successful data submission on an annual basis.

Successful annual data submissions using the ASC Farm Standard Energy Use Data Submission Template and the ASC Farm Standard GHG Data Submission Template.

Data reported in data submissions reflect results shown in audit for Indicators 2.10.1 and 2.10.2.

After calculating GHG emissions and identifying major contributors (‘hot spots’) to overall emissions, a Management Plan allows a site to identify actions to reduce, minimise and/or avoid GHG emissions.

Actions proposed in a GHG Management Plan should demonstrably relate to emissions identified during GHG calculations. Actions may also relate to GHG emissions beyond the scope of ASC’s GHG calculation requirements if evidence is shown that these emissions are substantial.

For example, efforts to reduce GHG emissions from product transport can have a significant effect in some cases, particularly if air freight is used.

Actions proposed in a GHG Management Plan should be accompanied with means to track implementation and effectiveness.

Not all GHG emission reduction efforts require major changes to operations or large new infrastructure investments.

Incremental improvements to feed conversion ratios, mortality rates, and energy efficiency can also be effective ways to reduce GHG emissions.

GHG targets, relative to both live weight production and edible weight product, are provided in Appendix 9.

By calculating and reporting emissions on an annual basis, sites will be able to track their GHG performance over time and assess the effectiveness of actions taken in their GHG Management Plan.

Reporting of GHG emissions to ASC, with a consistent approach across certified sites, will also support ASC’s efforts to provide guidance back on the types of actions that are achieving significant improvements in GHG performance.

While calculation and reporting of GHG emissions requires the use of two allocation methods to promote transparency and consistency across certified sites, Certificate Holders may select either allocation method as the basis for identifying actions in their GHG Management Plan and tracking emissions over time.

For many sites, emissions may come primarily from the production and use of feed.

The GHG Management Plan may be site-specific or may be applicable across many sites or developed at a corporate level, provided that the GHG tracking and actions taken are demonstrated to be relevant to the site and to reflect identified hot spots of emissions.

Copies of current and previous versions of the GHG Management Plan.

Presence of a GHG Management Plan.

The GHG Management Plan is maintained by a designated member of staff and is regularly reviewed and updated.

Actions proposed in the GHG Management Plan reflect identified sources of GHG emissions.

The GHG Management Plan includes tracking of GHG emissions over time relative to the targets set out in Appendix 9.