Overseas
Aquaculture Stewardship Council has announced the inclusion of Atlantic cod in the ASC certification program by the end of 2025, marking a decisive step for sustainable aquaculture. The decision follows a 30-day consultation that engaged numerous stakeholders, particularly from Norway, currently the leading producer of farmed cod.
Certifying cod is a concrete response to rising demand for seafood produced with responsible practices. Farmers, retailers, and consumers are calling for greater transparency and guarantees on animal welfare, traceability, and environmental protection. With this move, ASC consolidates its role as the global reference standard for a rapidly evolving sector.
The initial integration will take place through an updated version of the ASC Salmon Standard, which already shares many criteria applicable to cod farming. After a two-year transition, the species will be fully incorporated into the ASC Farm Standard V1.1. This step will allow producers to obtain certification quickly, encouraging broad adoption of a sustainable production model.
In Norway, companies such as Ode, a leader in cod farming, will benefit from a clear, recognized pathway to enhance their product’s value in international markets. Interest is already high in Iceland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Canada—countries facing reduced quotas for wild cod and looking to aquaculture as a strategic alternative.
The new ASC standard for cod will prioritize crucial topics such as disease management, biodiversity conservation, and reducing impacts on marine ecosystems. It will also assess practices related to efficient resource use and working conditions, with the goal of making cod farming a model that balances profitability with environmental responsibility.
A sustainable response to the North Sea crisis
The announcement comes at a delicate time for European fisheries: ICES has recently recommended a total closure of North Sea cod fishing by 2026, highlighting the need to transition to more sustainable production systems. In this context, ASC offers a concrete pathway to safeguard one of the emblematic species of Nordic fishing tradition while ensuring economic continuity for the value chain.
Including cod in the ASC certification program is not just a technical expansion of the standard; it’s a political and cultural signal. It shows that sustainability can be the main lever to rewrite the future of the seafood sector, reconciling environmental and production needs in a credible balance.
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