Certifications and licenses

Lerøy Seafood Group has been involved in the development of the ASC-standard since 2004. In 2013, Lerøy Seafood Group was the first company worldwide to have a farm certified according to the ASC standard. Since then, numerous Lerøy farms have achieved ASC-certification, ASC-certification guarantee that our aquaculture operations are conducted in an environmentally sound and sustainable manner. Our product handling units (harvest and processing) also undergo audits to ensure traceability for certified products.

The main principles in the ASC standard are:

• Comprehensive legal compliance
• Conservation of natural habitat and biodiversity
• Conservation of water resources
• Conservation of species diversity and wild population through prevention of escapes
• Use of feed and other inputs that are sourced responsibly
• Good animal health (no unnecessary use of antibiotics and chemicals)
• Social responsibility for workers and communities impacted by farming asc-aqua.org/

Lerøy continues to increase the number of certified farms. Moreover, all sites operate in accordance with the requirements that apply in the ASC-standard.

By the end of 2022, 69 % of our production capacity is ASC – certified

Global G.A.P

Global G.A.P. is a standard that promotes measures that ensure food safety, minimal environmental impact with consideration to the biodiversity, and compliance with animal welfare and workers’ health and safety requirements. The standard covers the production process from roe stage to fish slaughter, and ensure traceability of certified products throughout the harvest, processing, sales, and distribution.

The main principles in the GLOBAL G.A.P. standard are:

• Food safety: The standard is based on food safety criteria developed from the generic HACCP*
• Environment: The standard has two parts; one for environmental protection and one for good aqua- culture practice to minimize the negative environmental impact of aquaculture.
• Employees’ health, safety and welfare: The stan- dard sets global criteria for workers’ health and safety in the production facilities and contains guidelines for social issues.
• Fish welfare: The standard sets out global criteria for fish welfare in production facilities.
• *HACCP (Hazard Analytical Critical Control Point): System for hazard and risk analysis in food production, using critical control points to control risks. globalgap.org

Challenge

Globally, overfishing is unfortunately more the rule than the exception, and in addition, the discarding of fish represents a large unknown factor. So-called UUU fishing (illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing) is a major problem worldwide.

Our operations within fisheries are based on fish as a natural resource. We therefore rely on proper management of the various species in the sea. For Lerøy to operate from a perspective of perpetuity, the marine natural resources must be managed sustainably. This means to maintain the natural dynamics of fish stocks and ecosystems so that fishing is sustainable.

Our ambition in this area

Contribute to the long-term sustainability and improvements of global fish resources.

How we take action / What action has been taken

Lerøy supports the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) program (read more abot MSC below).

Norway has a long tradition of sustainable fisheries management. Lerøy supports Norway's fishermen's association in working to document and increase the proportion of fisheries that meet the strict criteria relating to the stock situation, ecosystem impact and management practices in the MSC's fisheries standard. In 2022, Norwegian fishing for redfish and blue halibut was certified according to the MSC.

In 2023, the recertification process was completed, and cod and haddock caught within 12 nautical miles from 62 degrees north and onwards are once again MSC-certified. The fisheries have shown that they meet the strict criteria related to the stock situation, ecosystem impact and management practices in MSC's fisheries standard. 

How we measure our impact

Lerøy has target figures for the proportion of catch that comes from fisheries that have met the strict criteria related to the stock situation, ecosystem impact and management practices.

Target and result 

In 2023, the share of catches with MSC certification was 91%, compared to 95% in 2022. The reason for the decrease is due to a changed composition of catches with a lower proportion of traditional whitefish species such as cod, haddock, and saithe. Some cod and haddock were caught within 12 nautical miles in 2023 when the fisheries was not MSC certified. These fisheries are MSC certified and will naturally increase the share of catches with MSC certification in 2024. 

MSC (MARINE STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL)

The MSC recognizes well-managed and sustainable fisheries through a certification program. The MSC sets principles and criteria for sustainable fisheries which are used by a third party and voluntary certification program.

The MSC recognizes well-managed and sustainable fisheries through a certification program. The MSC sets principles and criteria for sustainable fisheries which are used by a third party and voluntary certification program.

These principles are: 

• The maintenance and re-establishment of healthy populations of targeted species
• The maintenance of the integrity of ecosystems
• The development and maintenance of effective fisheries management systems, taking into account all relevant biological, technological, economic, social, environmental and commercial

Lerøy’s strategy is to support well-managed and sustainable fisheries and increase the share of certified fish.

Number of production licenses

1) Research licenses are time-limited with a duration of three years, from time of project start. The licenses have zero purchase price, and therefore no depreciation. The R&D license allocated to Lerøy Aurora in the table above legally belongs to Akvaplan Niva (third party) but is operated by Lerøy Aurora.

2) The teaching licenses are considered time-limited with a duration of 10 years. The licenses have zero purchase price, and therefore no depreciation. The teaching license allocated to Lerøy Aurora in the table above legally belongs to Troms- og Finnmark Fylkeskommune (third party) but is operated by Lerøy Aurora. The license allocated to Lerøy Sjøtroll legally belongs to Hordaland Fylkeskommune (third party) but is operated by Lerøy Sjøtroll.

INNOVATION THROUGH SPECIAL LICENSES

Lerøy Seafood Group operates several special production sites/licenses to assure innovation regarding sustainability.