{"id":1004757,"date":"2016-03-01T14:42:23","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T14:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asc-aqua.org\/?post_type=news&p=4757&source_id=4757&target_id=1004757"},"modified":"2024-11-29T14:59:24","modified_gmt":"2024-11-29T13:59:24","slug":"msc-and-asc-collaborate-to-set-global-standard-for-seaweed","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/asc-aqua.org\/news\/msc-and-asc-collaborate-to-set-global-standard-for-seaweed\/","title":{"rendered":"MSC and ASC collaborate to set global standard for seaweed"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The <\/b>Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)<\/b><\/a> and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) are working together to create a joint global standard for certifying seaweed operations.<\/b><\/p>\n

The collaboration offers the unique opportunity to build on the expertise of the two leading seafood certification and labelling programs. The Seaweed Standard will contribute to the health of the world’s aquatic ecosystems by promoting environmentally sustainable and socially responsible use of seaweed resources.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meeting global demand can be achieved sustainably and responsibly<\/b><\/p>\n

With seaweed production increasing alongside demand for certification, the MSC and ASC recognise the importance of having a global standard that rewards environmentally sustainable and socially responsible seaweed production, and provides a benchmark for improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n

David Agnew, Science and Standards Director of the MSC said:<\/b> “The Seaweed Standard will demonstrate mutual sustainability principles and standard systems, referencing best available scientific understanding and industry practices that conform to international norms of good conduct, including<\/span><\/i> FAO Guidelines for Ecolabelling<\/i><\/b><\/a> and<\/span><\/i> ISEAL Codes of Good Practices<\/i><\/b><\/a>.”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Bas Geerts, Standards Director for ASC said:<\/b> “A responsible approach is critical to minimising the environmental and social footprint of commercial seaweed production. Through collaboration we can create a meaningful standard with value for all stakeholders, while promoting environmental integrity and supporting the local communities that rely on seaweed production.”<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Public consultation on the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard<\/b><\/p>\n

From today, interested parties are invited to view <\/span>the proposed Seaweed Standard and certification process<\/b>, and share their expertise and feedback through an online consultation open until 30 April 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

The standard will allow certification from both wild harvest and farmed seaweed, regardless of the scale or location of the operation. The assessment of seaweed farms and fisheries will be guided by five core principles: sustainable populations; minimising environmental impacts; effective management; social responsibility; and community relations and interactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Help safeguard seaweed supplies for the future<\/b><\/p>\n

Seaweeds and other algae are integral in our daily life. They are used widely as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to form binding agents (emulsifiers) for toothpaste and fruit jelly. They also play a critical role in our aquatic ecosystems, providing food, shelter and habitats for a wide range of organisms including fish, shellfish, marine invertebrates and corals.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to the <\/span>United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation<\/b><\/a> around 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested, representing over 15% of the total world fisheries and aquaculture production globally, with an estimated annual value of US$ 5.65 billion. Wild harvest supports a significant portion of the industry, however seaweed aquaculture has grown rapidly to meet increasing demand.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2016 and 2017, scientists, industry, conservation groups, other interested stakeholders and the public are invited to contribute to help shape the ASC-MSC Seaweed Standard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Invitation to participate:<\/b><\/p>\n

Share your feedback and help shape the standard between 1 March and 30 April 2016> (link offline)<\/b><\/p>\n

Sign up to one of the public webinars on 5 April 2016 to learn more about the standard’s development><\/b><\/p>\n

Visit the website (<\/span>improvements.msc.org\/database\/seaweed-standard<\/b>) (link offline)<\/strong> to participate in a series of public activities, including online consultation, public webinars, consultation workshops and meetings<\/span><\/p>\n

Register to receive updates about our progress by sending an email to: <\/span>seaweedstandard@msc.org<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","tags":[],"class_list":["post-1004757","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asc-aqua.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/1004757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asc-aqua.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asc-aqua.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asc-aqua.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1004757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asc-aqua.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1004757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}