GAA releases best practices certification standards for mollusk farms

The Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) has released a new set of best practices certification standards for mollusk farms.

            The standards encompass all major farmed mollusk species, including mussels, scallops,

oysters, clams and abalone. They replace the existing Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) standards that covered only mussel farms.

            The completion and release of the new mussel farm standards make the BAP third-party certification program the world’s most comprehensive. Currently, there are six sets of BAP standards — mollusk farm standards, finfish and crustacean farm standards, salmon farm standards, seafood processing plant standards, hatchery and nursery standards and feed mill standards.

            As of March, there were 1,165 BAP-certified processing plants, farms, hatcheries and feed mills worldwide, said the GAA, the leading standards-setting organization for farmed seafood. 

            The mussel farm standards can be viewed at http://bap.gaalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/02/BAP-MolluskF-516.pdf