The UK's Soil Association has announced it plans to update standards for organic aquaculture, starting by opening a public consultation in November in order to "drive forward the highest standards of fish farming in the UK".
The consultation will focus on updating standards to improve welfare for both Atlantic salmon and cleaner fish such as wrasse and lumpfish. The review will also look at tightening rules for aquaculture feed, and reducing environmental impacts from management of sea lice by fish farmers.
The UK Soil Association first published its standards for organic aquaculture in 2002, and notes that many of these now form part of UK and European legislation, as well as being used in the non-organic aquaculture sector.
However, it notes, the "fast pace" of aquaculture innovation means the standards are due an update.
“Organic farmers are pioneers in sustainable food production, and it is essential that our standards allow them to remain at the leading edge of best practice," said Soil Association Head of Standards Chris Atkinson.
"As part of our policy to constantly keep all organic standards under review, we are proposing an update to our aquaculture standards to align them with the most recent research and updates to organic standards across Europe."
"We are seeking the views of anyone with an interest in the fish sector and sustainable food production to get involved with the consultation and to help us to ensure organic continues to drive forward standards of fish farming in the UK.”
The first stage of the review will focus specifically on organic Atlantic salmon, while in 2024 a second phase will consider other species including cleaner fish. This later round of consultation will also respond to expected developments in legislation around aquaculture from the Scottish Government.
