A meeting of about 50 marine, plant, animal and micro-ingredient experts in Amsterdam last week resulted in the development of a standard for sustainable fish feed production.
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC) Responsible Feed Project working group event included supply chain and feed mill representatives. Secretary Michiel Fransen said feed is a major contributor to the overall environmental impact of aquaculture.
“The production of the key ingredients used in making aquaculture feed create environmental and social pressures that must be addressed,” Fransen said. “Feed is the most costly input in fish farming, which in itself has driven innovation in feed composition and increased efficiency of use. However, reducing the impact of feed goes further than optimizing its composition and use; sourcing of responsibly produced ingredients is a big step forward in moving our industry towards sustainability.”
Fransen added that it may be difficult to define what is sustainable, but it is possible to define “responsible.”
Chris Ninnes, CEO of the ASC described how through assessment against the ASC standards the program aims to reduce the environmental and social impact of aquaculture worldwide.
“The ASC defines best practice as a level that can only be achieved by 15 to 20 percent of industry when the standard is released. Wider adoption will require industry improvements and an aquaculture industry committed to the Feed Standard will incentivize and drive the innovation needed to be made by the producers of the main ingredients used in the production of aqua feeds," said Ninnes.
“The feed standard will ensure that there is consistency in the way the aquaculture feed industry is asked to address the sustainability and social responsibility issues concerning feed. And, through independent certification we can share that best practice and ensure that it is applied properly.”
Over the next year the steering committee and working group members will help develop the requirements before two public review rounds involving the broader stakeholder community.
