Best Aquaculture Practices Certification

Responsible Aquaculture Certification schemes allow producers, processors, buyers and importers to respond to consumer pressure to insure that their farmed seafood comes from environmentally and socially sustainable methods of production, and that processes that maximize food safety are being used. Third party schemes guarantee that strict standards that are met and maintained using independent verification using.

The Aquaculture Certification Council, Inc. is a nongovernmental body established to certify social, environmental and food safety standards at aquaculture facilities throughout the world. This Missouri nonprofit, nonmember public benefit corporation applies elements of the Global Aquaculture Alliance Responsible Aquaculture Program in a certification system that combines site inspections and effluent sampling with sanitary controls, therapeutic controls and traceability.

Brian Kingzett and Stephanie Richards have received training and accreditation from the Aquaculture Certification Council to audit and certify farmed shrimp production and processing facilities worldwide.

Currently, the Aquaculture Certification Council certifies hatcheries, farms and processing plants in the international shrimp farming industry. Currently standards are being developed for feed plants, salmon and tilapia and it is anticipated that this program will be expanded to other aquaculture commodities in the very near future.

The Aquaculture Certification Council’s process certification promotes management practices that reduce the risk of product contamination and improve the image of the product in the market. To express their participation in ACC's certification program, ACC-licensed buyers and certified facilities in good standing may use the “Best Aquaculture Practices” certification mark in advertising and product labeling as specified in their contractual agreements with ACC. This process certification assures buyers and consumers that the products from certified facilities were produced in a responsible manner that can be traced with ACC's proprietary online traceability system from the hatchery to the buyer.

Services

As licensed ACC independent certifiers and auditors, the Blue Revolution Consulting Group can perform the following services for producers, processors and buyers of farmed shrimp.

• Confidential Pre-certification audits (if necessary) for facilities interested in receiving certification and for buyers and importers who wish to review the practices being followed by their suppliers.

• Certification Inspections and Plant Audits : conduct and perform site inspections and testing for necessary for registered facilities to attain BAP certification. During the site inspection of the participating facility, the certifier reviews records, observes procedures and considers human resources and will conduct environmental testing if required. At the end of each inspection, certifiers will provide a confidential inspection report and review details of the inspection with the operator.

• Consultation and assistance for facilities who wish to make operational changes in order to achieve BAP certification or develop new facilities that will be compliant with ACC requirements. Note: As part of the stringent ACC principles, once we have provided pre-audit or consultative services we can no longer provide final certification inspections, but will gladly assist clients with finding another independent certifier.
  

Update: December 2006: BRC Associates Brian Kingzett and Stephanie Richards completed the requirements to serve as Aquaculture Certification Council , Inc. Approved Auditors. This compliments our previous Certifer accreditation and allows BRC to audit aquaculture provessing facilities under the ACC program. This trainign was conducted by representatives from the US NOAA National Marine Service.

Update: November 2005 - Wal-Mart issued a Press Release stating that , Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. took an important step to ensure that the company's imported shrimp is farmed with environmental sustainability in mind. Wal-Mart has partnered with Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) and Aquaculture Certification Council, Inc. (ACC) to certify that all foreign shrimp suppliers adhere to Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) standards.

Please contact us for more information

Also: Read our recent article on Trends in Aquaculture certification