WWF with draft standards for tilapia farming
USA: Last week the World Wildlife Fund released the first set of measurable, performance-based tilapia aquaculture standards. The standards were created through a transparent and multi-stakeholder process. They are the first draft standards from the WWF-initiated Aquaculture Dialogues.
The draft standards were developed by the Tilapia Aquaculture Dialogue, a group of tilapia producers, seafood buyers, nonprofit organizations, and other tilapia aquaculture stakeholders. The Dialogue is driven by a Steering Committee that includes representatives from Regal Springs Trading Company, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, New England Aquarium, Aquamar, Rain Forest Aquaculture and WWF.
The standards are designed to minimize the impacts, identified by Dialogue participants, that cause 70 to 80 percent of the problems associated with tilapia farming. This includes chemicals (used to treat diseases or preserve tilapia) being released into the water, non-native tilapia escaping from farms and competing with wild-caught fish, and water being diverted for use on farms.
Comments on the draft standards will be accepted through February 2009. The purpose of the public comment period is to gain input on how to perfect the standards so they are effective and attainable. Final standards are expected in March 2009.
The standards are based on a set of principles, criteria and indicators also created by the Dialogue participants. The principles are high-level goals for addressing each impact. The criteria provide direction on how to reduce each impact and the indicators address how to measure the extent of each impact.
When finalized, the standards will be given to a standards-holding entity that will use independent third-party certification bodies to audit farms. Third party involvement ensures fair and effective management of the standards. WWF is working with its partners to assess which standards-holding entity - new or existing - to use.
Through the Aquaculture Dialogues, standards also are being created for farmed salmon, trout, pangasius, shrimp, abalone, clams, mussels, scallops and oysters. WWF has initiated similar standards-development processes for wild-caught seafood, forestry products and potatoes.
