GAA brings its BAP standard to GSSI Benchmark Tool

The Global Aquaculture Alliance's Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) third-party certification scheme has submitted an application to the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) following the launch of its Global Benchmark Tool.

Aldin Hilbrands, Aquaculture Program Director at IDH: 'This is great news for both BAP and GSSI, as this is an important step on the journey towards a global, transparent benchmark that will make sourcing of sustainable seafood more easy and more cost efficient.'

"We applaud the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative for the launch of its Global Benchmark Tool," said GAA Executive Director Wally Stevens. "GAA will make application of its BAP third-party certification program in keeping with other benchmarking of its standards with the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and support for the Global Social Compliance Program (GSCP).

"We also recognize that the BAP program goes above and beyond the criteria by which GSSI is judging it on," added Stevens. "The BAP program extends well beyond environmental issues to include the other major issues facing aquaculture - social responsibility, food safety, animal health and welfare, and traceability - across the entire aquaculture supply chain, including the processing plant."