GSA climate standard out for consultation

Feed mills, fish farms and seafood processors will be required to cut their carbon footprint and reduce waste if they are to qualify for a new climate change standard for the sector.

The Global Seafood Alliance Climate Action and Sourcing (CAS) Vanguard Standard is now available for public comment. The 60-day public comment period ends on October 15.

GSA’s Vanguard program is an initiative created to highlight producers that are leaders in the seafood industry. Producers that are part of this initiative go above and beyond what is expected of them and incorporate leading-edge innovations or best practices into their businesses.

The CAS Vanguard Standard is a Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification standard applicable to feed mills, farms and seafood processing facilities and was developed to address the wider footprint of farmed seafood, particularly its carbon footprint and other impacts associated with the production of feed ingredients. It requires responsible sourcing of marine and plant-based ingredients including ingredients from fish processing by-products, certified sources and plant-based ingredients that are deforestation and conversion free (DCF).

In addition, facilities must demonstrate a decrease in their carbon footprint over time by reporting on data relative to greenhouse gas emissions, energy source selection and consumption, water use and more.

By 2027, in order to comply, companies will need to meet new targets for the use of “green” energy: for example, feed mills will need to source 60% of their energy from renewable sources; Atlantic salmon farms will need to achieve 20% (up from 10% currently); Atlantic salmon smolt facilities must hit 80%; and shrimp farms (L.vannamei) 50% (up from 10%).

The standard was designed to promote continuous improvement and incentivize producers to seek product from Vanguard certified facilities along the supply chain, which in turn, the GSA said, will lead to increasing amounts of ingredients certified to responsible sourcing standards.

Comments are invited via the GSA website.