ASC takes a key role in the EU Market Advisory Council.
Photo: EU MAC / ASC
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) has been appointed to the executive committee of the Market Advisory Council (MAC), giving the aquaculture certification body a more direct role in discussions that inform EU seafood market policy.
The council, established under the EU Common Fisheries Policy, brings together representatives from across the fisheries and aquaculture supply chain. Its task is to provide advice to the European Commission and EU member states on how markets for fish and farmed seafood function, including trade and regulatory issues.
Executive committee members are responsible for setting the council’s priorities and drafting the formal recommendations submitted to the Commission. The committee can include up to 25 representatives from industry groups and other organisations.
ASC has been part of the council for the past two years, with the ecolabel's classification as an "Other Interest Group", allowing it to sit on the executive committee alongside businesses and civil society organisations.
In a statement, ASC chief executive Chris Ninnes said the ASC's nomination to the committee “is a clear acknowledgement of our role as a credible and constructive voice in EU seafood and aquaculture markets.”
“It gives us a stronger platform to contribute evidence-based perspectives on sustainability, market dynamics, and regulatory effectiveness. It also allows us to work closely with EU institutions and other stakeholders to support a transparent, resilient, and forward-looking European seafood market,” Ninnes added.
The appointment increases ASC’s involvement in EU-level discussions at a time when sustainability standards and market rules remain under scrutiny across the seafood sector. The council’s advice does not have binding force, but it can influence how market measures are developed and implemented within the EU.
Other committee members include fthe Environmental Justice Foundation, Oceana and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), as well as fellow seafood certification organisation the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
