[ COMMENT ON BAP STANDARDS ]

GAA's Best Aquaculture Practices standards define the most important elements of responsible aquaculture and provide quantitative guidelines and auditing procedures by which to evaluate adherence to those practices. Facilities certified in adherence to the BAP standards may use the BAP certification mark (right) in advertising and on wholesale-level product labels. A separate mark is used for retail packaging.
 
The basic BAP standards for shrimp farms and hatcheries, and seafood processing plants are outlined below. Complete guidelines and auditing forms can be found at http://www.aquaculturecertification.org. Aquaculture Certification Council, Inc. is the exclusive certifying agency for GAA's BAP standards.
 
The Best Aquaculture Standards are developed and updated via a system of technical committees comprised of members with broad technical, geographic, and stakeholder representation. GAA staff coordinate the standards development process. A revised BAP standards development process that incorporates a Standards Oversight Committee is currently being finalized.
 
To complete the shrimp value chain, GAA will in the coming months finalize standards for aquaculture feed mills. Standards for other fish species are under development.
 
BAP SHRIMP FARM STANDARDS
 
     > > COMMUNITY
 
1. Property Rights and Regulatory Compliance
Farms shall comply with local and national laws and environmental regulations, and provide current documentation that demonstrates legal rights for land use, water use, construction and operation.
 
2. Community Relations
Farms shall not deny local communities access to public mangrove areas, fishing grounds or other public resources.
 
3. Worker Safety and Employee Relations
Farms shall comply with local and national labor laws to assure adequate worker safety, compensation and living conditions at the facility.
 
     > > ENVIRONMENT
 
4. Mangrove Conservation and Biodiversity Protection
Shrimp farms shall not be located in mangrove areas, seagrass beds or other coastal wetlands. Farm operations shall not damage wetlands or reduce the biodiversity of coastal ecosystems. Mangroves removed for allowable purposes shall be replaced by replanting an area three times as large.
 
5. Effluent Management
Farms shall monitor effluents at the specified frequency to confirm that water quality complies with BAP criteria*. Water quality measurements taken during certification inspection shall meet both BAP criteria and those of applicable government permits. Farms shall comply with BAP's final criteria within five years.

Variable (units-frequency) ph (standard units - M) Total suspended solids (mg/L - Q) Soluble phosphorus (mg/L - M) Total ammonia nitrogen (mg/L - M) 5-day bio. oxygen demand (mg/L - Q) Dissolved oxygen (mg/L - M) Salinity Water with less than 1 ppt salinity, specific con- ductance below 1,500 µmhos/cm or chloride less than 550 mg/L is considered fresh. M = monthly, Q = quarterly

Initial Value 6.0-9.5 100 or less 0.5 or less 5 or less 50 or less 4 or more No discharge above 800 mg/L chloride into freshwater

Final Value 6.0-9.0 50 or less 0.3 or less 3 or less 30 or less 5 or more No discharge above 550 mg/L chloride into freshwater

* Limited Option: The source water for aquaculture farms can have higher concentrations of water quality variables than allowed by the initial criteria. In these cases, demonstration that the variable concentrations do not increase (or decrease for dissolved oxygen) between the source water and farm effluent is an acceptable alternative to compliance with the criteria. This option does not apply to chloride.
 
6. Sediment Management
Farms shall contain sediment from ponds, canals and settling basins and not cause salinization or other ecological nuisance in surrounding land and water.
 
7. Soil/Water Conservation
Farm construction and operations shall not cause soil and water salinization or depletion of ground water in surrounding areas.
 
8. Postlarvae Sources
Certified farms shall not use wild postlarvae and shall comply with governmental regulations regarding the importation of native and non-native shrimp seedstock.
 
9. Storage and Disposal of Farm Supplies
Fuel, lubricants and agricultural chemicals shall be stored and disposed of in a safe and responsible manner. Paper and plastic refuse shall be disposed of in a sanitary and responsible way.
 
     > > FOOD SAFETY
 
10. Drug and Chemical Management
Banned antibiotics, drugs and other chemical compounds shall not be used. Other therapeutic agents shall be used as directed on product labels for control of diagnosed diseases or required pond management, not prophylactic purposes. Shrimp shall be periodically monitored for residues of suspect pesticides, PCBs and heavy metals that are confirmed in the vicinity.
 
11. Microbial Sanitation
Human waste and untreated animal manure shall be excluded from shrimp growout ponds. Domestic sewage shall be treated and not contaminate surrounding areas.
 
12. Harvest and Transport
Shrimp shall be harvested and transported in a manner that maintains temperature control and minimizes physical damage and contamination. Shrimp treated with sulfites or other allergens shall be labeled accordingly.
 
     > > TRACEABILITY
 
Record-Keeping Requirement
To establish product traceability, the following information shall be recorded for each pond and each production cycle:
 

pond identification number, pond area, stocking date

postlarvae quantity stocked, postlarvae source (hatchery)

antibiotic and drug use; herbicide, algicide, other pesticide use

manufacturer and lot number for each feed used

harvest date, harvest quantity

sulfite use and protocol

processing plant or purchaser.
 
BAP SHRIMP HATCHERY STANDARDS
 
     > > COMMUNITY
 
1. Property Rights and Regulatory Compliance
Hatcheries shall comply with local and national laws and environmental regulations, and provide current documentation that demonstrates legal rights for land use, water use, construction and operation.
 
2. Community Relations
Hatcheries shall not deny local communities access to public mangrove areas, fishing grounds or other public resources.
 
3. Worker Safety and Employee Relations
Hatcheries shall comply with local and national labor laws to assure adequate worker safety, compensation and living conditions at the facility.
 
     > > ENVIRONMENT
 
4. Ecosystem Protection
Hatchery construction and operations shall not result in net loss of mangroves or otherwise affect sensitive coastal ecosystems or conservation zones. Hatchery animals shall be adequately contained.
 
5. Veterinary Health
Hatcheries shall establish health monitoring and control procedures to minimize the risk of disease. The pathogen status of stocks shall be disclosed upon request.
 
6. Effluent Management
Hatcheries shall monitor effluents at the frequency specified to confirm that water quality complies with BAP criteria*. Water quality measurements taken during certification inspection shall meet both BAP criteria and those of applicable government permits. Hatcheries shall comply with BAP's final criteria within five years.

Variable (units-frequency) ph (standard units - M) Total suspended solids (mg/L - Q) Soluble phosphorus (mg/L - M) Total ammonia nitrogen (mg/L - M) 5-day bio. oxygen demand (mg/L - Q) Dissolved oxygen (mg/L - M) M = monthly, Q = quarterly

Initial Value 6.0-9.5 100 or less 0.5 or less 5 or less 50 or less 4 or more

Final Value 6.0-9.0 50 or less 0.3 or less 3 or less 30 or less 5 or more

* Limited Option: The source water for shrimp hatcheries can have higher concentrations of water quality variables than allowed by the initial criteria. In these cases, demonstration that the variable concentrations do not increase (or decrease for dissolved oxygen) between the source water and hatchery effluent is an acceptable alternative to compliance with the criteria.
 
7. Storage and Disposal of Farm Supplies
Fuel, lubricants and agricultural chemicals shall be stored and disposed of in a safe and responsible manner. Paper and plastic refuse shall be disposed of in a sanitary and responsible way.
 
8. Microbial Sanitation
Untreated human sewage shall not be released from hatcheries into local ecosystems without proper treatment.
 
     > > FOOD SAFETY
 
9. Drug and Chemical Management
Banned antibiotics, drugs and other chemical compounds shall not be used. Other therapeutic agents shall be used as directed on product labels for control of diagnosed diseases or required management, not prophylactic purposes.
 
     > > TRACEABILITY
 
Record-Keeping Requirement
To establish product traceability, the following information shall be recorded for each rearing tank and each production lot:
 

tank identification number, stocking date

species, larvae quantity stocked

broodstock source, nauplii source

antibiotic and drug use

manufacturer and lot number for each feed used

harvest date, harvest quantity

receiving farm or purchaser.
 
BAP SEAFOOD PROCESSING PLANT STANDARDS
 
     > > COMMUNITY
 
1. Property Rights and Regulatory Compliance
Processing plants shall comply with local and national laws and environmental regulations, including those related to product exportation, and provide current documentation that demonstrates legal rights for land use, water use, construction and operation.
 
2. Worker Safety and Employee Relations
Processing plants shall comply with local and national labor laws to assure worker safety and adequate compensation.
 
     > > ENVIRONMENT
 
3. Effluent Management
Processing plants shall dispose of process water and sewage in a responsible manner that does not create pollution, cause excessive odor or spread disease. Water quality measurements of plant effluents that enter natural bodies of water shall comply with government regulations or the BAP criteria below, whichever are more strict. Plants shall continue compliance with these criteria to maintain certification.

Variable (units-frequency) ph (standard units - M) Total suspended solids (mg/L - Q) Soluble phosphorus (mg/L - M) Total ammonia nitrogen (mg/L - M) 5-day bio. oxygen demand (mg/L - Q) Dissolved oxygen (mg/L - M) Salinity Water with < 1 ppt salinity or specific con- ductance < 1,500 µmhos/cm considered fresh. M = monthly, Q = quarterly

Initial Value 6.0-9.5 50 or less 0.5 or less 5 or less 50 or less 4 or more No water discharge above 1.5 ppt into freshwater

Final Value 6.0-9.0 25 or less 0.3 or less 3 or less 30 or less 5 or more No water discharge above 1.0 ppt into freshwater

4. Storage and Disposal of Plant Supplies
Fuel, lubricants, plant chemicals and potentially toxic or dangerous compounds shall be properly labeled, stored, used and disposed of in a safe and responsible manner.
 
5. Waste Management
Processing by-products, garbage, and paper and plastic refuse shall be disposed of in a sanitary, responsible and biosecure manner.
 
     > > FOOD SAFETY
 
6. Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Processing plants shall have a current HACCP plan and process control program to control food hazards and ensure product safety. Production process controls that ensure product quality shall be documented.
 
Verification Requirement
Random samples of finished product shall be analyzed for bacterial contamination and antibiotic residues by both the processing plant and third-party laboratories to verify that the control processes used by the plant are effective and finished products are safe and wholesome.
 
     > > TRACEABILITY
 
Record-Keeping Requirement
To establish product traceability, the following information shall be recorded:
 

farm name, certified farm identification

species, farm lot number

certified processing plant identification

date and time of product reception at plant

plant lot number, finished lot weight, product form and count

buyer name, buyer identification

lot quantity shipped, shipping date, invoice/transfer number.
 

Aquaculture Certification Council, Inc.
Aquaculture Certification Council, Inc. is the exclusive certifying agency for the BAP standards developed by GAA. This nonprofit organization offers "process" certification for shrimp production facilities that incorporates onsite inspection and effluent sampling with mandatory requirements for product safety and traceability. Click to visit the Aquaculture Certification Council, Inc. website for more information on BAP facility certification.
 

---

Global Aquaculture Alliance -- http://www.gaalliance.org
 Feeding the World Through Responsible Aquaculture
5661 Telegraph Road, Suite 3A -- St. Louis, Missouri 63129 USA
Telephone: 314-293-5500 -- Fax: 314-293-5525 -- E-mail: homeoffice@gaalliance.org
[ Site contents copyright 2007 Global Aquaculture Alliance. All rights reserved. ]