Bakkafrost becomes first Atlantic salmon producer to achieve new ASC Farm Standard certification
Faroese salmon farmer Bakkafrost has become the world's first Atlantic salmon producer to certify farms against the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's new Farm Standard, with three Faroese sites already certified and the remainder in the Faroe Islands and Scotland to follow ahead of the May 2028 transition deadline.
Bakkafrost has become the first Atlantic salmon producer in the world to have farms certified against the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Farm Standard, a consolidated, science-based framework that replaces the ASC's previous species-specific farm standards, the ASC announced on 1 October 2026.
Three of Bakkafrost's farming sites in the Faroe Islands have already achieved certification under the new standard. The company said it is progressing the transition of its remaining farming sites in the Faroe Islands and Scotland, well ahead of the industry-wide transition deadline of 1 May 2028.
According to the ASC, the Farm Standard strengthens requirements for fish health and welfare, including handling, disease prevention, and treatment use. It also maintains restrictions on siting in protected areas and introduces a tiered approach to seabed-impact monitoring, alongside strengthened requirements for sensitive water bodies and data sharing.
ASC chief executive Chris Ninnes described the certification as an important milestone and acknowledged the effort required of Bakkafrost as an early adopter. "Their experience has also been invaluable for ASC, giving us practical insights into how the Farm Standard is implemented within an established salmon farming operation and where we can continue to improve the transition process," Ninnes said.
Ninnes also noted the broader significance for the sector: "Bakkafrost's experience will provide important learnings as more salmon producers begin their transition."
Anna Johansen, group quality, environment, safety, and health director at Bakkafrost, said the new standard offers a more integrated management approach. "The transition has also helped us strengthen our systems, improve transparency and establish a clearer basis for measuring performance and driving continuous improvement," she said.
The certification builds on more than a decade of ASC engagement by Bakkafrost. Its Gøtuvík farm became the first ASC-certified salmon farm in the Faroe Islands in 2015, and in April 2026 the group announced that 100% of its salmon farming operations in the Faroe Islands and Scotland were ASC-certified under the previous framework.
Prepared with AI assistance by Endata and reviewed by the editorial team.
