Celebrating ASC Leadership in Responsible Aquaculture at Seafood Expo Global 2025
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) marked a pivotal moment for responsible aquaculture at this year’s Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona, Spain, with the successful launch of its new ASC Farm Standard. The event provided a robust platform for highlighting the industry’s momentum towards greater environmental and social responsibility.
A Unified Vision: The ASC Farm Standard Launch
The highlight of ASC’s presence was the official launch of the ASC Farm Standard, an integrated framework unifying and enhancing all 12 existing species standards. This groundbreaking standard sets a global benchmark for environmentally and socially responsible aquaculture, offering clarity, efficiency, and consistency across various species and regions.
Over 200 participants from across the supply chain attended the launch, eager to learn how the Farm Standard will influence producers, retailers, and consumers while driving significant changes across the value chain.
Chris Ninnes, CEO of ASC, stated, “The ASC Farm Standard is the culmination of years of collaboration, research, and listening to our stakeholders. Its introduction at the world’s leading seafood trade show reflects not only its importance, but also the robust support we’ve seen from the seafood farming industry.”
Certification Milestone: Stolt Sea Farm Achieves 100% ASC Certification
In a significant development, Stolt Sea Farm announced it has achieved full ASC certification across its turbot farms, making it the only farmed turbot producer globally to meet ASC’s stringent environmental and social criteria.
This achievement reflects Stolt Sea Farm’s unwavering commitment to continuous improvement and sustainable operations.
Jordi Trias, President of Stolt Sea Farm, remarked, “This is a truly proud moment for all of us at Stolt Sea Farm and a step forward in our commitment to ensure the best experience for our customers. It requires perseverance, a commitment to quality and animal welfare, and teamwork—all of which characterize the way we fulfill our purpose.”
Shared Partnerships and Collaborations
Another highlight was the announcement of a groundbreaking partnership between ASC, Labeyrie Fine Foods, and Omarsa, aimed at restoring Ecuador’s vital mangrove ecosystems. This initiative emphasizes restoring biodiversity, improving community livelihoods, and promoting responsible shrimp farming practices in one of the world’s key coastal ecosystems.
The collaboration epitomizes ASC’s holistic sustainability approach, extending beyond certification to incorporate ecosystem restoration, local engagement, and long-term resilience.
Ninnes further signed a Memorandum of Understanding with AquaExchange, a technology firm based in India, leveraging digital tools for transparency in the seafood farming value chain.
Pavan Krishna Kosaraju, CEO of AquaExchange, stated, “Through our partnership with ASC, we are developing a new paradigm, allowing small farmers to achieve certification easily. We aim to scale our unique reinforcement framework, providing immediate incentives for sustainable practices through reduced input costs and higher offtake prices.”
Panel: The Future of Aquaculture is Now
ASC leadership also participated in forward-looking discussions at SEG 2025. CEO Chris Ninnes joined Jim Cannon, CEO of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, on an expert panel titled ‘The Future of Aquaculture is Now: Seafood Sustainability and Stewardship Legends Share their Visions, Predictions, and a New Roadmap for the Sector.’ Moderated by Barbara Janker, ASC’s Commercial Director for Europe & APAC, the session focused on emerging trends in aquaculture.
Aisla Jones, ASC Feed Engagement & UK Markets Manager, participated in a session led by Donau Soy, discussing the implementation of the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Supply Chains in aquafeed. The session examined responsible sourcing of plant ingredients and compliance with EUDR requirements, highlighting how standards and certification can support reporting and disclosure efforts related to deforestation and conversion-free practices.
Setting the Stage for the Future
The buzz surrounding ASC’s booth and events at Seafood Expo Global 2025 underscored the increasing importance of credible, comprehensive sustainability frameworks in aquaculture.
Ninnes concluded, “Collaboration has always been at the heart of the ASC mission. Whether it’s developing a more holistic Farm Standard or partnering with retailers and producers, progress does not occur in isolation. It is only by uniting all parts of the value chain that we can drive real, lasting change. What we witnessed at Seafood Expo Global this year signifies the seafood sector’s readiness to collaborate—and that gives me great hope for the future of responsible seafood farming.”
