Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Marine Stewardship Council
ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae)
Client Application Checklist
Version 1.0, 8 December 2017
Copyright notice
The “ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae) Client Application Checklist” and its content is copyright of Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Marine Stewardship Council - © “Aquaculture Stewardship Council” “Marine Stewardship Council” 2017. All rights reserved.
MASI Account Manager
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The Netherlands
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Phone: + 44 (0) 20 7246 8900
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Version Control
Amendments IssuedVersion no. / Date / Description of amendment
1.0 / 8 December / N/A – new document
This document is to be cited as:
ASC-MSCSeaweed (Algae) Client Application Checklist v1.0
Contents
Introduction
Harvested seaweed stock status data (P1 species)
What is it?
What do we need to see?
What if you don’t have this information?
Details of harvest strategy (P1 species)
What is it?
What do we need to see?
Ecosystem management strategy data
What is it?
What do auditors need to see?
Effective management
What is it?
What do we need to see?
Data-deficient production unit information
What is it?
What do we need to see?
Information on production unit
Data/information and documentation to be provided (or shown) to the CAB
Document: ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae) Client Application Checklist v1.0 Page 1 of 14Date of issue: 8December 2017 / © Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Marine Stewardship Council 2017
Introduction
The intent of this checklist is that the client and the CAB ensure that all the information needed for the audit is currently available, and that the production unit is fully prepared to proceed with the audit. This checklist provides a structured framework for the client to prepare for the assessment and gather all the information that is needed before the audit.
Before the initial audit is announced, the clientmust fill in the following checklist and return it the CAB. The CAB shall not conduct an audit until the client has completed and the CAB accepted the client’s application checklist.
The following is a breakdown of core information required for the assessment of all production units.There are exceptions and variations to this, and this list is by no means exhaustive, but it forms a starting point upon which the rest of the scoring process can be built.
The ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae) Standard applies globally to all locations and scales of operations, including both harvesting of wild stocks and production from aquaculture systems. Thus, it is impossible to create a list that will be applicable to everyone. As such, it may be that the information the assessment team requires is not included in the listed documents.
The applicability of each PI depends on the seaweed production category considered and on the characteristics of the activity. Thus, some of the information listed below may not be relevant to your production unit.
It is also important to know what information is available and what is not. If you look for documents and cannot find them, there is aspace in the form to note that, so that the assessment team is aware of any shortfalls.
For more detailed information on the requirements you will be assessed against, please see the ASC-MSC Seaweed(Algae) Standard and the ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae) Certification and Accreditation Requirements.
Harvested seaweed stock status data (P1 species)
What is it?
This is information about the condition of the wild seaweed populationsunder consideration to carry the ASC/MSC label (P1 species)and how this is monitored. Note that for activities that do not depend on wild stocks of seaweed or on seed supplied from them (categories A, Bi or Ci), P1 should not be scored.
What do we need to see?
- We need to know the reference points that are used to evaluate stock status and/or harvest impact, how they were calculated, and the status of the stock in relation to these reference points. This is usually available in stock assessment reports.
- We need to know how the stock is being monitored, including the details of any scientific models and the data that goes into them.
What if you don’t have this information?
- If reference points are not defined for the stock under consideration (P1 species) or if formal data to assess stock status are not available, another method of assessment called the Risk-Based Framework (RBF) shall be used by the assessment team.
- Although management of some seaweed harvesting can be based on the MSY concept, this may not be used in most cases. In these cases, proxy indicators may be used, such as biomass of seaweeds harvested, or the proportion of plants taken.
Details of harvest strategy(P1 species)
What is it?
This refers to the mechanisms used by the production unit to moderate its harvest effort should it become apparent that current levels of harvest effort are causing stock levels to decline.
What do we need to see?
- External regulations (such as quota limits, effort limitations, setting a minimum cutting height, gear restrictions and technical measures, etc.) that aim to control the exploitation of the stock.
- Internal rules and triggers for modifying thelevel of harvest when data available suggest that current levels are too high.
- Records of how this is monitored and when/how it has been enforced/followed in the past.
- This information is explicitly needed for the stock/s under assessment and should include or consider the total harvesting of seaweeds from all sources.
Ecosystem management strategy data
What is it?
This is the strategy used by production unit management to monitor and moderate the effect that its harvesting effort has on the wider ecosystem in which it operates.
What do auditors need to see?
- Records of the internal and/or external restrictions placed upon the production unitto monitor its impact upon the following:
- Habitats
- Ecosystem structure and function
- Endangered, Threatened or Protected (ETP) species
- Other species
- Waste management and pollution control
- Pest and disease management
- Energy efficiency
- Translocations
- Introduction of alien species
- Information about the actions taken by the production unit to control and minimise these impacts (e.g. closed areas, gear modifications, harvest time/place/season, etc.).
- Details of how impacts are monitored (e.g. logbooks, observer reports, self-sampling, scientific monitoring and mapping programmes, ecosystem empirical research and/or modelling, etc.).
Habitats
- Information on the type of habitats (e.g. mangroves, seagrass beds, complex kelp-dominated or rockweed dominated habitats) that the production unit interacts with.
- Information about the type of habitats that regularly comes into contact with a gear of the production unit.
ETP and Other species
- Information about thecondition of the stock of all the other species impacted (either because they are targeted or they are impacted incidentally) by the production unit and how this is monitored. We need to know the species, weight of species harvested and an indication of how this relates to the overall population status of that species.
- If the P2 species forms a low proportion of the total catch by weight (less than 5%), you may not need to consider it in as much detail, unless the species is known to be less resilient to fishing pressure (generally long lived, or low fecund species such as most sharks). However, if data are available, they will still be useful (see 8.23-8.25 of the ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae) Standard).
- Details of species legally protected in the production unit’s country or area of operation (e.g. national protected species lists; this may include marine mammals, reptiles, birds, fish or shellfish) (see 8.4 of the ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae) Standard)
- Information about how the production unit deals with, and tries to minimise, mortality of unwanted catches.
- Any information about unobserved mortality(e.g. as a result of gear loss, illegal harvesting, etc.).
- Records of the following harvestingdata:
- Seaweed target species
- Other species (other than MSC-assessed species)
- Endangered, Threatened or Protected (ETP) species
Effective management
What is it?
Here we are looking at the wider legal framework within which the production unit operates. There may be a formal legal framework (international and/or national policies, laws and regulations), and/or there may be a customary framework (including customs and traditions that are protected by law).
This also includes information on the day-to-day operation of the production unit (e.g. decision making, monitoring, control and surveillance, review of the management system).
What do we need to see?
- Local, national and international laws, regulations and agreements that govern any element of the harvesting or farming process, information on how the production unit ensures that it meets these requirements, and evidence of compliance.
- Any policy documents or management plans that provide guidance to the seaweed management system.
- List of organisations or groups involved in, or potentially impacted by, the production unit and information on how these stakeholders (including yourselves) can participate in the seaweed management or policy-making system. (Note: a list of stakeholders may have already been prepared as part of the pre-assessment.)
- Policies or statements of objectives relating to the seaweed harvesting/farming activity.
- Details of monitoring, control and surveillance system at sea and quayside (e.g. at-sea inspection, quayside inspections, cross-checking of logbook and landings data, observers, VMS, CCTV, etc.). This includes details of any infractions by the client production unit and how these were dealt with. (Note: minor accidental infractions are not likely to be an issue for ASC-MSC certification; for major infractions, show how the operation of the production unit has been adapted to ensure that there is no repeat).
- Details of how you are kept informed about regulations (e.g. information from authorities or protection officers, instructions to skippers, etc.).
Data-deficient production unit information
What is it?
If you have been informed by your CAB that your production unit will be, or might be, assessed against the Risk-Based Framework (RBF) for some aspects, you will be required to provide different types of information to assist the team.
What do we need to see?
- Management arrangements in place together with any specific strategies such as bycatch reduction of species recovery strategies.
- Descriptions of any monitoring strategies in place, including at-sea observer programmes (coverage, duration, objectives).
- Maps of:
- The distribution of harvesting effort within the jurisdictional boundaries of the seaweed harvesting activity.
- The distribution of all harvesting effort on the target stock outside the production unit being certified.
- Species, habitat and community distributions (including depth ranges).
- The level of overlap between the species, habitat, ecosystem and the harvesting’s gear.
- Information to assist in identifying the most vulnerable subcomponent for a species (e.g. reproductive capacity, age/sex structure, population size).
- Information needed for scoring the consequence of harvesting activity on the species and/or habitats.
Document: ASC-MSC Seaweed (Algae) Client Application Checklistv1.0 Page 1 of 14
Date of issue: 8 December 2017 / © Aquaculture Stewardship Council and Marine Stewardship Council 2017
Information on production unit
Data Type / Available / Comments / Attach file / File nameThe client under assessment only: / Click here to enter text.
- Description of target species
- Description of production system (e.g., culturing system, gear used, etc.)
- Description of any at-sea or land-based facilities associated with the culturing/harvesting activities
- Location of production unit
- Harvest/production data
Data/information and documentation to be provided (or shown) to the CAB
Please answer all questions as fully as possible and complete each section. If providing copies of any documentation listed below, please specify the corresponding file name (such as “stock assessment 2019”).
Data Type / Available / Comments / Attach file / File name- Stock assessment reports by scientific bodies such as regional scientific bodies, national bodies and/or local bodies for:
- Seaweed target species (P1 species)
- Other species impacted by the production unit (retained, discarded, etc.)
- Most recent scientific advice, scientific surveys or research publications on biology and ecology for:
- Seaweed target species (P1 species)
- Other species
- Endangered, Threatened or Protected (ETP) species
- Habitats
- Ecosystem
- Harvest and effort data (observer reports, logbook and/or sales data, details of number of licences and size, type and number of active vessels or days at sea, number of lines, etc. as per most appropriate measure of effort)
- Seaweed target species (P1 species)
- Other species (included discarded, unobserved mortality)
- Endangered, Threatened or Protected (ETP) species
- Code(s) of conduct, other license conditions, lease agreements
- VMS or AIS maps or reports
- Local, national and international regulations and laws (quotas, closed season, closed areas, technical measures, etc.)
- Any other management plans, policy documents or information that affect the target, ETP and other species, habitats and ecosystem management at the national or regional level
- Management reviews and internal audits
- List of ETP protected species in jurisdiction
- Habitat maps (specially description of VMEs and commonly encountered)
- Inspection reports, details of infractions
- List the most common production waste materials
- Describe measures (or policy) in place to minimise waste production
- Describe measures (or policy) in place to minimise and prevent spills of chemicals and hydrocarbons
- Describe or provide inventory of all chemicals used or located on site
- Describe measures (or policy) to prevent the spread of pests and diseases
- Describe and provide records (e.g. receipts) of farm fuel and electricity usage
- Describe or provide policy on main procedures to improve energy efficiency
- List of key equipment/ gear used by the production unit (e.g. boats and generators)
- Written policy against child labour
- Copies of the official identification of employees, showing the date of birth.
- Workers contract, working hours and pay slips
- List of activities undertaken by workers below age 18
- List of incidents of child labour or young worker abuse that occurred in the past and actions undertaken
- Written policy against forced, bonded and compulsory labour
- Written policy anti-discrimination and procedures to raise, file and respond to a discrimination complaint
- Records of employees' hiring and promotions
- Records of any complaint(s) raised (if any)
- Legal document showing minimum wages for the location where the farm operates
- Information about trade unions and/or civil society organisations
- Information about disciplinary actions taken in the past
- Written anti-harassment and anti-abuse disciplinary action policy
- Record of training courses and training participants
- Certificates of compliance (if any) with environmental or social codes
- Written training policy
- Impact assessment done in the past?
- Written complaint procedure
- Provide documentation of measures taken to maintain communication with indigenous people (e.g. meeting records, newsletters, records of consultation)
- Describe floats used by the production unit, including colour, material, positioning and orientation
- How often does gear loss occur and what is the process to recover lost gear?
- Are all gear and equipment labelled?
- Record of effort spent cleaning the receiving shoreline in response to gear loss.
- List of all sources of noise, light and odour originating on the production unit, which includes actions and measures that taken to reduce them
- Do you have a designated storage area and containers, appropriate for the materials that create odours?
- Mechanism for clearing up any unused production unit or water-based structures.
Note: If you have looked for information and it’s not available, please note this in the comments so that the assessment team can be aware of what information exists and what doesn’t.