It is noticed that Asian catfish farming, such as pangasius, tra or basa farming will soon be certified sustainable and it will assure that this fast growing industry addresses environmental and social impacts such as water pollution, and poor fish health management, and feeding practices. The authority has started inviting public opinion for the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue (PAD) draft standards, marking the final step before the standards are finalized.
It is informed that aquaculture is the fastest growing food production system in the world. The industry has grown at a steady 8-10 percent during the past 30 years, and this is expected to continue. When finalized, the standards will be given to a new organization, to be co-founded by WWF, that will be responsible for working with independent, third party entities to certify farms that are in compliance with the standards. Dr. Flavio Corsin of WWF, who coordinates the PAD said that they welcome feedback because we know that tapping into the experiences and expertise of a broad and diverse group of people will make the standards more robust.
The process used by the PAD and the seven other Aquaculture Dialogues is the only one for aquaculture standard-setting that is in compliance with the International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labeling Alliance’s guidelines for creating environmental and social standards. Most of the standards will be metrics-based, which is the only way to effectively know whether the industry’s impact on the environment is reduced. The standards will also be performance-based, thereby encouraging innovation at the farm level.
