Sainsbury’s has become the first UK supermarket to have 100% of its fresh Scottish salmon range independently certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
The ASC marks food that has been responsibly sourced from farms that have been independently certified as both environmentally and socially responsible.
In Scotland, less than 5% of Scottish salmon farms have been certified with ASC status.
Salmon farming can cause negative environmental impacts including seabed pollution and the spread of disease among fish.
ASC farms must undertake an independent audit in which they are assessed against science-based requirements including water quality, impact on the seabed, fish health and worker conditions. Certified farms are reaudited every year and must regularly publish key performance metrics to ensure ongoing compliance.
“Scottish salmon is a world-famous product, for good reason,” said ASC CEO Chris Ninnes. “But it must be produced in a way that also preserves the iconic environment in which it is farmed. Sainsbury’s customers now have the chance to play their part in supporting responsible salmon farming by looking for the ASC logo.”
Gavin Hodgeson, head of agriculture, aquaculture & horticulture at Sainsbury’s, said: “We know it’s our responsibility to ensure the food on our shelves is as sustainably sourced as possible, which is why we’re so pleased to become the first UK retailer to offer 100% ASC certified fresh Scottish salmon.”
Sainsbury’s range of 100% ASC certified seafood already included sea bass, sea bream, tilapia, basa and chilled & frozen king prawns products.
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