Aquaculture Stewardship Council Celebrates Landmark Year of Growth and Innovation in 2025

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) achieved significant milestones in 2025, marking a year dedicated to enhancing its certification programs, forming pivotal partnerships, and advocating for responsible aquaculture across international supply chains. For more information, visit the ASC official website.

Launch of the ASC Farm Standard

One of the most transformative developments was the introduction of the ASC Farm Standard at Seafood Expo Global in May, a landmark in ASC certification. This new Standard unifies environmental, social, and welfare requirements into a single, coherent framework, allowing stakeholders to validate the sustainability of their seafood with independently verified and publicly accessible data.

Throughout the year, ASC assisted producers and auditors in transitioning to this new system through customized training, guidance materials, and mock audits, ensuring a seamless shift.

Enhancing Animal Welfare and Human Rights

ASC dedicated significant efforts to advancing animal welfare across the aquaculture sector. The Farm Standard introduced extensive welfare requirements, while ASC representatives participated in global forums advocating the correlation between robust welfare practices, farm performance, and climate resilience. Regional teams actively engaged with producers in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe to enhance husbandry and biosecurity measures, reinforcing ASC’s science-led leadership.

Moreover, ASC intensified its commitment to human rights initiatives, focusing on issues such as worker voice and living wage. Targeted research and new training tools were developed, with proposals for revising the Chain of Custody module set for public consultation in 2026.

Transforming Aquaculture from the Feed Up

ASC’s Feed Certification Programme saw tremendous growth, initiating actions to combat deforestation, land conversion, overfishing, and forced labor. By October 31, a crucial milestone was reached: ASC-certified farms are now required to use ASC-compliant feed from certified mills, enhancing integrity and transparency across supply chains. The programme reported a significant achievement with 72 ASC-certified feed mills spanning 29 countries by December 9, 2025.

Additionally, the programme expanded to include Atlantic Cod under the revised ASC Salmon and Cod Standard v1.5 and laid the groundwork for certifying various catfish species. The Improver Programme by ASC also reported significant growth, with 20 Aquaculture Improvement Projects active across six nations.

Building Partnerships to Coax Demand for Sustainable Seafood

Partnerships played an integral role in 2025’s achievements. ASC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korea’s National Institute of Fisheries Science aimed at fostering responsible aquaculture innovations. Collaborations with Labeyrie Fine Foods and Omarsa led to a successful mangrove restoration project in Ecuador. Additionally, ASC worked alongside local organizations to develop Ghana’s national Code of Good Practice and to make strides in landscape-level improvements within the Indian shrimp sector.

To heighten awareness and demand for certified sustainable seafood, ASC expanded its marketing efforts by partnering with retailers and foodservice operators. Notable campaigns included the ‘Check Your Fish’ initiative in Europe, joint promotions across North America, and the celebration of Sustainable Seafood Week in Japan. These efforts successfully translated increased awareness into tangible consumer choices, resulting in greater availability of ASC-labelled products like certified seabass, trout, and salmon in Southern Europe.

Championing Innovation and Collaboration

ASC’s presence on the global stage expanded, with participation in 62 major industry events where ASC experts contributed crucial discussions on responsible aquaculture. Notably, the Global Shrimp Forum highlighted the ASC’s TraceASC digital traceability project, showcasing how innovative technology aids producers in streamlining sustainability verification.

Further innovation was evident with the launch of the Programme Centre, which serves as a comprehensive hub for navigating ASC Standards, and the Online Farm Mapping Tool, designed to enhance data accuracy and simplify audit preparations.

Looking Ahead to 2026

ASC’s CEO, Chris Ninnes, shared his reflections on the year, stating: “ASC has made real strides this year. We have advanced our programme, partnered with leaders across the sector and championed responsible aquaculture on the world stage. I am deeply grateful to our dedicated teams and the producers, feed mills, retailers, auditors and partners who make our progress possible. As we move into 2026, we are energised by the opportunities ahead to strengthen our impact and help responsibly farmed seafood become the natural choice for everyone.”

For more insights, visit the ASC website.