The first Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified shrimp products have been launched to the market and will be available for the Christmas table across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden.
Early suppliers of ASC certified shrimp include LENK whose shrimp comes from Faquimex, Miramar, which sources shrimp from Vina Clean Seafood, and Planets Pride and SeaSam Food, which source from Omarsa. Coop Switzerland is the first retailer to introduce ASC certified shrimp. Since last week, they have offered ASC labeled shrimp sourced from Thadimexco in nearly 800 stores across Switzerland.
“The launch of ASC certified shrimp to the market is a critical milestone for the ASC,” said Chris Ninnes, ASC’s CEO.
“The demand for farmed shrimp is growing globally. It is increasingly important to ensure that shrimp is farmed responsibly to minimize its environmental footprint and safeguard the rights of farm workers and local communities.”
Companies in the supply chain that wish to sell their products as ASC certified must pass a rigorous Chain of Custody third party audit by an independent accredited certifier. The companies must demonstrate that they have solid traceability systems in place to guarantee that no product mixing or substitution can occur.
Certified companies are subject to annual surveillance audits, unannounced audits and product trace backs. ASC certified farms deliver a cleaner seabed, cleaner water and healthier fish, preserve the diversity of the species and wild population, and follow strict feed requirements and ensuring social responsibility.