Charting waters: Aquatic Life Institute releases rankings and roadmap for aquaculture certification benchmark

Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) has analyzed current welfare requirements within the primary farming standards of global seafood certification schemes in the third edition of its aquaculture certification benchmark report.

The Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark is part of ALI’s work to encourage progressive development related to animal welfare standards in aquaculture. It will be used as a tool by decision makers worldwide as they make choices about sourcing from the certifiers that lead in aquatic animal welfare.

The analysis and personalized recommendations within the benchmark serve as a roadmap to continue progressing to higher standards or to construct entirely new welfare requirements for aquatic animals.

Eight certification schemes 

This year’s benchmark includes eight global seafood certification schemes and one international rating agency, which, collectively, cover billions of individual aquatic animals annually. 

Within the report, Global Animal Partnership (GAP), Friend of the Sea, GLOBALG.A.P., Global Seafood Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), RSPCA Assured, Naturland Organic, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), Soil Association Organic and Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch are evaluated on water quality, stocking density and space requirements, environmental enrichment, feed composition, stunning and slaughter, neglected species prohibitions, as well as additional considerations.  

Based on assessment areas detailed above, Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is ranked the highest from this year’s benchmark, with a score of 8 out of 10. 

ASC, which was rated based on the draft of their upcoming farm standard, received full points for water quality, space requirements and stocking density and stunning and slaughter, all of which are critical components of ensuring aquatic animal health and welfare.

Proactively prohibiting octopus farming, as seen in recent legislation, is crucial due to the significant concerns associated with farming these highly intelligent and solitary animals.One of the most notable areas of improvement from this year’s analysis includes ASC and Soil Association joining RSPCA and Friend of the Sea in prohibiting the certification of any form of octopus or cephalopod farming. 

Proactively prohibiting octopus farming, as seen in recent legislation from California and Washington, is crucial due to the significant concerns associated with farming these highly intelligent and solitary animals, whose complex needs cannot be met in intensive farming systems. By taking this stance, certifiers send a strong signal to the industry that there is no market demand for products that compromise animal welfare and environmental sustainability. 

Some of the key highlights from this year’s benchmark include notable improvement in stocking density and space requirement ratings and an increased number of policies prohibiting eyestalk ablation in shrimp farming. In addition, three out of the seven certifiers previously evaluated, including ASC, RSPCA and Naturland, improved their scores from the 2023 benchmark following ALI’s certifier recommendations.

“Aquaculture Stewardship Council is happy to take the leading position among all aquaculture certifications, standards and ratings benchmarked by ALI for the second year in a row. This proves ASC’s commitment toward the improvement of fish welfare through rigorous monitoring and evaluation requirements for seafood farms and key welfare indicators,” says Maria Filipa Castanheira, fish health and welfare standards manager at Aquaculture Stewardship Council. 

“Fish welfare is increasingly becoming an important component in responsible seafood farming. With a dedicated principle on animal health and welfare in the new ASC Farm Standard, ASC is transforming the way we tackle fish welfare in seafood production.”

Animal welfare in focus

The emphasis on sustainable development has heightened the significance of animal welfare in business practices. 

Consumers are increasingly interested in product origin and are opting for socially and environmentally responsible supply chains. This shift in consumer behavior has led businesses to effectively demonstrate their commitment to ethical sourcing, resonate with conscientious consumers, and strengthen their brand’s reputation as a responsible and compassionate industry leader by sourcing from certification labels evaluated under this benchmark. 

For example, a recent survey by Eurogroup for Animals and Compassion in World Farming found that 9 in 10 EU consumers want better protection for farmed fish. Moreover, two-thirds said they would like fish products to include clear welfare labeling that reflects how the fish were reared. The animal welfare groups urge the European Commission to deliver species-specific welfare provisions for farmed fish as part of its comprehensive revision of animal welfare laws. 

“As the only organization rigorously evaluating animal welfare standards of seafood certifiers each year, ALI’s benchmark plays a critical role in holding the industry accountable. This independent analysis highlights both progress and gaps, encouraging certifiers to elevate their standards that protect the health of aquatic animals and prioritize positive welfare for these individuals, all of which minimize the negative environmental impacts of aquaculture,” says Tessa Gonzalez, head of research at ALI.

“Our work ensures that what happens below the surface doesn’t stay hidden, empowering consumers, companies, and certifiers to make informed choices and take important steps forward.”