Multiple certification schemes cover aquaculture products, with varying degrees of welfare consideration. Understanding what different certifications actually require helps consumers make informed choices.
Aquaculture certification is a market mechanism that shapes welfare outcomes across millions of fish. The gap between different schemes is substantial: some require explicit welfare monitoring, stocking density limits, and humane slaughter; others are entirely silent on welfare. Consumers who treat all eco-labels as equivalent are not necessarily supporting the welfare outcomes they intend. RSPCA Assured remains the gold standard for fish welfare in the UK; ASC is moving in the right direction; most other certifications treat welfare as a secondary consideration. The direction of travel is positive — but the pace requires consumer pressure to accelerate.