Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is steadily gaining strength in South Korea, with 73 ASC-certified farm sites – 28 seaweed, 44 abalone and one shrimp – with overall annual ASC-certified volumes of more than 11,000 tonnes. The largest number of ASC-labelled seaweed and abalone products globally are farmed in South Korea.
“The uptake of responsible seafood farming practices in South Korea is a boon for responsible aquaculture in Asia and around the world,” said Esther Luiten, ASC’s global market development director in a press release. “South Korean distributors and brands like CJ Freshway, IKEA, Lottemart and Olga have made commitments to ASC certification that are creating real change in the retail market.”
New general manager for South Korea
Last year, ASC brought onboard Martin Lee as a general manager to head operations in South Korea. Lee came to ASC with robust experience in market development in sustainability sectors in Asia, including sustainability certifications.
“I’m very pleased to see how ASC certification is making South Korean aquaculture products more competitive within the global market,” said Lee in a press releaae. “South Korea is a major producer of seaweed, and ASC certification is giving Korean farms a way to meet international market demands for seaweed that is responsibly produced.”
Collaboration agreement for responsible aquaculture
At the Korea Sustainable Aquaculture Seminar – held on 28 April 2023 in Seoul – a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by ASC and Wando-gun, a county on South Korea’s southern coast that has been an active supporter of responsible seafood farming. The MoU is an agreement for collaboration “with mutual efforts to develop responsible aquaculture industry” and “to promote understanding of responsible aquaculture to the market and consumers.”
“The signing of the MoU between ASC and Wando-gun is a significant event. Through this agreement both organisations will cooperate to develop sustainable aquaculture,” added Woo-cheol Shin, mayor of Wando County. “We believe that ASC certification is important for the development of the aquaculture industry in Wando-gun and for the promotion of our farmed seafood products in South Korea and internationally.”
South Korean aquaculture companies awarded
Also at the seminar, Eunha Marine and Chungsanbada – two players in the South Korean aquaculture industry – were given awards by ASC. Eunha Marine was awarded for its leadership in promoting ASC-certified products to South Korean processors and distributors. In 2020, they also launched the first ASC-labelled salmon product on the South Korean market. Chungsanbada, or the Chungsan Fishermen’s Organization, is an abalone farm operation that was awarded for its commitment to responsible practices and becoming the first ASC-certified producer in South Korea, back in 2018.
“Efforts by Chungsanbada corporations and fishermen to create a sustainable abalone industry have created awareness of responsible aquaculture in Korean society,” concluded Chungsanbada CEO, Jiyeon Wi. “Thanks to the support and encouragement of WWF Korea, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Wando County Office, it was possible to achieve our successful ASC certification. We would like to express our gratitude to the distributors and consumers who choose seafood that is responsibly produced.”
