Latest GLOBALG.A.P System Launched At ESE

For the Aquaculture Scope, a four-year intensive revision work has led to a standard that provides any aquaculture operation worldwide the opportunity to demonstrate good aquaculture practices across major categories, e.g. any finfish, crustacean or mollusc farming activity can now apply for GLOBALG.A.P Aquaculture Certification.

Aquaculture Version 4 is product of public consultations with more than 500 comments received from stakeholders representing 116 organisations worldwide that comprise certification bodies, retailers, research centers, universities, NGOs, suppliers, farmers, GLOBALG.A.P National Technical Working Groups for Aquaculture, producer organisations, scheme owners, consultants, the food service industry, the animal health industry and metrology institutes. It has been trialled on all systems used for aquaculture.

Food safety is a main priority, with key criteria also identified for environmental (biodiversity inclusive) measures with animal welfare and workers welfare also given important consideration. Traceabilty is another important component covering all stages from broodstock, seedlings, on-grown farm and post harvest handling operations.

Compound feed supplied to aquaculture farms is included on the scope coverage and auditing activities.

GLOBALG.A.P pre-farm gate standards for Crops, Livestock and Aquaculture are Global Food Safety Initiative – GFSI recognized. For the aquaculture scope, this is unique in receiving this recognition worldwide.

FAO Guidelines on Aquaculture Certification, since the initial drafts up to the recently launched version in 2011 were referenced with the GLOBALG.A.P Aquaculture revision for Version 4.

Greenpeace assessment on the environmental criteria for Version 3 is now reflected in Version 4.

IUCN tailored made criteria for Protected Areas, initially launched for the Shrimp Standard, is now applicable for all species seeking GLOBALG.A.P Aquaculture Certification.

GLOBALG.A.P Risk Assessment on Social Practice – GRASP is a voluntary add-on module for those farms wishing to demonstrate risked based assessment on social practices at farm level.

GLOBALG.A.P Number – GGN followed by the 13 digit number is available to place on packaging for the final consumer to enable an instant search on certified status via the GLOBALG.A.P web site.

GLOBALG.A.P Aquaculture has approved 15 Accredited Certification Bodies, operating worldwide as third party certifiers with the highest level of professional excellence in this sector. The number of certified countries to date is 22, covering Asia, Latin America, Africa and Europe.

FAO Guidelines on Aquaculture Certification, since the initial drafts up to the GLOBALG.A.P.

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