Aquaculture Certification Systems: Comparing Welfare Standards

Multiple aquaculture certification schemes make competing welfare claims. Understanding what each standard actually requires helps consumers and buyers make genuinely informed choices.

Key Facts

Global GAP, ASC, Best Aquaculture Practices, and RSPCA Assured are the main schemes
Welfare requirements vary significantly - some focus on environment, others on observable indicators
ASC does not currently require stunning at slaughter for all farmed species
RSPCA Assured requires electrical or percussive stunning before slaughter for salmon
Scheme auditing frequency and verification rigour vary considerably
Consumer labels rarely communicate the specific welfare content of certifications

Welfare Considerations

Certification scheme fragmentation creates confusion and risk of greenwashing. Schemes that focus on environmental sustainability without explicit welfare requirements may certify production with serious welfare problems. Buyers seeking to make genuine welfare improvements need to interrogate what specific practices are required, audited, and verified - not just which logo appears on packaging.

What You Can Do

Check which specific welfare practices a certification scheme requires before purchasing
Support campaigns for welfare to be a mandatory criterion in all aquaculture certification
Ask your supermarket which scheme they use for farmed fish and why