Aquatic Life Institute Releases 2025 Aquaculture Certification Benchmark
The Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) has released the 2025 edition of its Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark, which evaluates the inclusion of animal welfare requirements in global aquaculture certification and rating schemes. This is the fourth edition of the Benchmark, which covers a range of schemes and provides a comparative overview of how welfare criteria are embedded in certification standards.
In 2025, the Benchmark assessed 9 certification schemes and 2 rating agencies, considering factors such as stocking density, water quality, environmental enrichment, feed composition, stunning and slaughter, and, for the first time, transport. The Benchmark also includes additional points for explicit prohibitions on octopus farming, shrimp eyestalk ablation, use of insects in aquafeed, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
The scoring methodology evaluated each welfare domain on a 0 to 1.0 scale, using a 0.25-point interval system, with a maximum total score of 10 points. This approach allows a detailed comparison of how different schemes integrate welfare-related standards.
2025 Benchmark Results (Top Scores):
Certified Humane®: 8.75 points
ASC: 7.75 points
RSPCA: 7.75 points
Other schemes included Naturland, Global G.A.P., Soil Association, Friend of the Sea, BAP, OceanWise, and Seafood Watch.
The full report provides detailed results for each scheme and rating agency, including how scores have evolved over time.
The Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark is publicly available and serves as a resource for stakeholders seeking information on how welfare standards are incorporated across aquaculture certification frameworks.
For the full report, see the Aquatic Life Institute website.