Public Comment Sought for Climate Action and Sourcing Vanguard Standard
The Global Seafood Alliance Climate Action and Sourcing (CAS) Vanguard Standard is now available for public comment, GSA announced on Aug. 17. The 60-day public comment period ends on Oct. 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.
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 will lead to increasing amounts of ingredients certified to responsible sourcing standards.
To comment on the CAS Vanguard Standard, review the standard here, fill out this public comment form and submit it to David Dietz at David.dietz@globalseafood.org. All interested stakeholders are encouraged to comment, and all properly submitted comments will be acknowledged.
About the Global Seafood Alliance
The Global Seafood Alliance is an international, nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing responsible seafood practices through education, advocacy and third-party assurances. Through the development of its Best Aquaculture Practices and Best Seafood Practices certification programs, GSA has become the leading provider of assurances for seafood globally. The organization’s work addresses the full spectrum of responsibility, from environmental responsibility and social accountability to food safety. Established in 1997 as the Global Aquaculture Alliance, GSA is headquartered in Portsmouth, N.H., USA. To learn more, visit www.globalseafood.org
