The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) regrets some retailers have decided to stop sales of pangasius, since it assures that if this fish is responsibly farmed, and in accordance with the solid environmental and social criteria defined in the ASC Pangasius Standard, buyers and consumers can rely on their choice.
All ASC certified seafood adheres to strict guidelines to ensure they minimise the negative environmental impacts of farming, while also protecting the rights of workers.
The non-profit organization notes that pangasius farms certified to the ASC standard can only be located in areas approved for aquaculture. In addition, they are required to measure various water parameters including nitrogen, phosphorus, and oxygen levels, at regular intervals to ensure they remain within set limits for optimal growing conditions. Strict procedures must be followed to make sure that waste water does not pollute the ecosystem.
On the other hand, farms must also adhere to rigorous requirements to minimise disease outbreaks, must not use antibiotics unless truly necessary and then can only do so under the supervision of a veterinarian.
As with all ASC standards, no antibiotics on the list of the World Health Organization's list of Critically Important Antimicrobials for human health can be used on a farm.
Because the fish can be farmed efficiently, with low land use and limited use of feed, and can be produced in a way that respects the environment and communities, it is a suitable product in the competitive white fish market, ASC emphasized.
Finally, the organization stresses that CP Vietnam Corporation and Thuan An are two real-world examples of the benefits ASC Certification can bring in. For these two companies it involved farm upgrades to waste water treatment, better feed practices, and steps to reduce fish mortality and improved staff education and training.
Currently, many enterprises, farms and processors in Vietnam are granted international certification like BAP, PAD of the U.S., ASC…
(fis.com)