The Global Aquaculture Alliance and The Global Partnership for Good Agricultural Practice (GlobalGAP) have agreed to work together on developing and harmonizing a worldwide certification system for the aquaculture industry.
GAA Executive Director Wally Stevens called the agreement “an important step that paves the way toward closer cooperation between our two global organizations.” The two groups will develop a “joint checklist approach” for a single farm audit that meets the requirements of both organizations, Stevens said.
GlobalGAP Secretary Kristian Moeller said the agreement “is a way to harmonize existing standards, create robust and accredited programs and avoid costly and confusing duplication of efforts for producers.”
The GAA develops and oversees standards for aquaculture, including farms, feed mills and processing facilities. Known as Best Aquaculture Practices, the GAA’s standards cover food safety, traceability, animal welfare, community and social welfare and environmental sustainability.
GlobalGAP is a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural and aquaculture products worldwide. The GLOBALGAP standard is primarily designed to reassure consumers about how food is produced on the farm by minimizing environmental impacts of farming operations, reducing the use of chemical inputs and ensuring a responsible approach to worker health and safety as well as animal welfare.
