Seafood certification body, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), has moved to clarify apparent confusion among some retailers and ASC-certified seafood brands, after earlier this month Atlantic salmon farmed in British Columbia (BC) was relegated to the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch "Avoid" list.
The downgrade suggests buyers who use the program to guide their seafood purchases should no longer buy the product, however the ASC is keen to highlight this does not apply to certified products.
In a statement, ASC said Seafood Watch assessed its certification program for farmed salmon in British Columbia and worldwide and has in fact designated all ASC-certified salmon worldwide as a ‘buy’ option, "therefore overriding any rating that a region like BC may have been given."
