About the ASC

Certifying environmentally and socially responsible seafood.

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is a certification program and label for farmed seafood – also known as aquaculture. Through our work, ASC is helping to address some of the most pressing consumer, social and environmental challenges of our time.

Aquaculture produces over half of seafood eaten around the world. As we look to the future, it will be vital in providing healthy, affordable protein to the world’s rapidly growing population. However, in order to create positive outcomes across the food chain, aquaculture must be done responsibly. The sea green ASC label only appears on seafood from farms that have been independently assessed and certified as environmentally and socially responsible.

ASC develops and manages the strictest standards in the industry. These standards include hundreds of requirements covering the potential impacts of aquaculture, ranging from water quality and wildlife protection to fair treatment and pay for workers. ASC partners with the environmental and scientific communities, NGOs, academics, farmers, retailers and other experts to develop its rigorous programs. The ASC standards are also subject to public consultation, meaning public input and transparency are key.

To become ASC certified, a farm is assessed by an independent organization against every requirement in the standard. If it passes the audit, seafood from the farm can be sold with the ASC logo, allowing you to make informed meal choices and reward responsible farming.

Selecting products with the ASC logo ensures more transparent, more traceable, more responsible seafood, from farm to fillet. Learn more about what goes on behind Our Sea Green Label here.