Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) started a 30-day stakeholder consultation on March 9 to establish guidelines for farming operations in or near protected areas.
The engagement period, which concludes on April 9, focuses on gathering input to address environmental risks to biodiversity and ecosystem processes.
Environmental Standards Coordinator Dan Auwkit said that as aquaculture becomes a primary food source for a growing population, there is an opportunity to align production with conservation goals.
“By bringing greater clarity to how aquaculture can operate responsibly within or near protected areas, we can support biodiversity protection while enabling responsible aquaculture for the future,” Auwkit stated.
The project will include a review of existing council requirements compared against International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categories and national legislation. ASC is developing a risk-based compatibility assessment to determine where aquaculture operations are consistent with the specific objectives of a protected area.
The body stated it aims to reach producers, retailers, and certification bodies during the process to ensure the framework remains practical. This assessment is expected to use broad criteria to provide a consistent method for assessing compliance across different regulatory contexts.
The work will further incorporate socio-economic considerations and align with the Ramsar Convention and World Heritage Convention impact protocols.
Final outputs including revised farm standards and a white paper co-developed with the IUCN are expected to be complete in 2028, the council said.
