Aquaculture Stewardship Council Highlights Certified Seafood Role in Building More Resilient Food Systems at Climate Week

 
NEW YORK, New York, (October 8, 2026) — Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), the world’s leading certification and labeling program for farmed seafood, brought sustainable seafood into the global climate conversation at Climate Week NYC 2026 by highlighting the critical role aquaculture can play in building resilient food systems for the future. ASC’s message to climate leaders was clear: certified farmed seafood is essential to meeting the growing demand for nutritious protein while strengthening global food systems.

“I always think of seafood being a part of the climate solution,” said Chris Ninnes, CEO, ASC. “Seafood has a much lower footprint relative to other terrestrial protein production systems. In many ways, that’s driven the growth we see in seafood farming. We now eat more farmed fish than we do wild caught fish. There’s been sustained growth in the farmed seafood sector for over 40 years – it’s the fastest growing protein production system globally. However, traceability is key to any claim. If you don’t know where your food is coming from, any claim you make about it is nonsense. Certified aquaculture is actually part of the solution we’re looking for. It’s something people want to eat. So how do we use it as part of our strategy to bring the changes we really want to see?”

Across stages and thought-leadership activations throughout the week, ASC highlighted aquaculture’s contributions to sustainable systems, nutrition, livelihoods and food security across the world. These conversations also underscored the role of credible, transparent certification in advancing environmental and social responsibility, which gives business and consumers greater confidence in the seafood they are sourcing. 

ASC at Climate Group’s The Hub Live: Bringing aquaculture into the global climate discussion

At The Hub Live’s Food Forum during Climate Week NYC, ASC CEO Chris Ninnes joined a cross-sector panel for a session titled “Food Security vs Climate Security: Can Resilient Systems Deliver at Scale?” The session explored how food systems can become more resilient while adapting to increasing demand and change across agriculture, aquaculture, policy and science. 

Other panel participants included:

• Dr. Prabhu Pingali, Professor, Cornell University (Moderator)
• Purnima Menon, Director for Strategy and Partnerships, International Food Policy Research Institute
• Patty Fong, Director, Food and Agriculture Program, ClimateWorks Foundation
• Yan Wyss, Global Head of Public Affairs, Nestlé

“Without seafood and without seafood being produced responsibly, the world will be a much poorer place,” said Ninnes in regard to not only producing food, but producing it with human, animal and ecological welfare in mind. 

Ninnes brought aquaculture into the conversation, highlighting the scale and cultural importance of farmed seafood and the need to consider seafood as part of strategies for building more sustainable and resilient food systems. Rather than focusing only on where food systems need to go, Ninnes challenged the group to consider how they will get there. Climate and food-system targets are important, he said, but the path to achieving them requires practical strategies that recognize the realities of how people eat and how food is produced. For aquaculture, that means asking how seafood can be part of the solution and how responsible production can help deliver greater environmental and nutritional benefits at scale.

“We live in times in which speaking out on climate, or even using that word, is not a given anymore. That working towards a less polluted world and a bright future by getting fossil fuels off the grid, seems to be an act of courage,” said Helen Clarkson, CEO, Climate Group. We’re extremely grateful that organizations like the Aquaculture Stewardship Council keep stepping forward where others have taken a step back.”

From conversation to the table: ASC’s farm-to-fork reception

ASC brought this important conversation to life through “Driving Change with Certified Seafood: A Farm to Fork Culinary Journey with ASC,” an invitation-only reception at the Sommwhere event space in New York’s Lower East Side, which brought together partners, stakeholders, media and Climate Week NYC attendees.

The intimate reception gave guests an opportunity to experience the ASC label in action, bringing the standards behind certified farmed seafood to life through food, conversation and connections around the table. The agenda-free open format created an authentic space for dialogue and connection around what responsible seafood production looks like in practice and on the plate, enabling guests and ASC’s leadership to exchange meaningful perspectives on farmed seafood’s role in building resilient food systems and a more sustainable future.

The evening brought those ideas to life through an artful culinary experience led by Chef Ari Miller of Post Haste, Philadelphia, with collaborations from Kiki Aranita and Poi Dog Sauces. Every dish featured ASC-labeled seafood, giving guests an opportunity to experience global flavors and quality firsthand. Original artwork by artist and illustrator Nancy Pappas, inspired by ocean waves and schools of fish, complemented the experience, along with a sustainably-forward beverage selection from T. Edward Wines & Spirits, Love City Brewing, and Tamworth Distilling. Miller’s seafood forward menu included:

• Arteseans Seafoods Scallop Crudo on the Half Shell 
• Laguna Blanca Salmon Croquettes with Poi Dog Huli Mayo
• Laguna Blanca Salmon Gravlax on Pickle Juice Pretzels
• MINNOW Smoked Trout Pan con Tomate
• Blue Ocean Mariculture Hawaiian Kanpachi Tataki with Poi Dog Guava Katzu Glaze
• Specially curated cocktails featuring Tamworth Distilling’s Crab Trapper Whiskey, made using invasive green crabs

Being a chef who strives for sustainability in my work is rarely the easiest choice,” said Miller. “But it is always the right one. My personal ethos, which extends to every plate of food we serve at Post Haste, includes a strong sense of supporting our community, sourcing responsibly for quality ingredients that have a positive impact, and making sure to pay it forward. ASC certification delivers consistently in these areas every time, which means I can feel confident that the seafood I am working with and serving was raised right. This translates to a powerful and flavorful culinary experience.”

ASC brings farmed seafood to Food Tank’s Water and Blue Foods Summit

ASC also participated in Food Tank programming throughout Climate Week NYC, culminating in the Water and Blue Foods Summit on September 25. 

Hosted by Food Tank with the Future of Food Institute and Monterey Bay Aquarium at WNYC Radio studios, ASC Senior Programs Manager Kathleen McDavitt was joined  by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), Monterey Bay Aquarium, and New York State Department of Agriculture and Market for the panel “Blue Communities, Blue Food, and Fisheries: The National Perspective.” The summit brought together leaders exploring the interconnected roles of water, food, public health and global justice, and the importance of building food systems that can meet the needs of a changing world. McDavitt shared an aquaculture perspective to the discussion, highlighting how responsible farming can contribute to resilient food systems and why credible standards and collaboration across the seafood sector – including between farmed and wild production – are essential to realizing the potential of blue foods. 

“A lot of people have misconceptions about farmed seafood, when in reality, when done well, it can be very sustainable and actually complements wild seafood,” said Kathleen McDavitt, Senior Program Manager, ASC North America. “Wild fisheries are essentially already fished at the maximum sustainability levels, so if we want to increase seafood production, if we want to have seafood available for more people, then we need to turn to aquaculture.”

Beyond the panels, ASC-certified seafood was also featured on Food Tank’s menu throughout the week, with products including Ode cod and Fjellfisk mountain trout, provided from Villa Seafood and Fortune Fish & Gourmet.

ASC solidifies their spot at the climate conversation table

Climate Week NYC reinforced a clear message: we cannot talk about the future of food without talking about seafood. As demand for nutritious protein grows and food systems face increasing climate pressures, certified farmed seafood is a crucial contributor to food systems that can nourish more people while supporting environmental, social and economic resilience.

ASC is helping advance that progress by setting credible standards for responsible aquaculture, strengthening traceability and uniting people across the seafood value chain  who can turn those standards into action. By connecting responsible production with greater transparency and consumer confidence, ASC is working to ensure farmed seafood is recognized not as a footnote in climate conversations, but as a vital part of the solution.

ASC is an independent non-profit organization setting the global standard for responsible farmed seafood. Our comprehensive environmental and social requirements drive continuous improvement in aquaculture practices.

About the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)

The ASC label on pack represents the diligence behind ASC-certified farms and feed mills – impact-focused and transparent operations delivering measurable and verifiable change. Certified partners meet science-based, rigorous requirements that foster accountability and trust across the seafood value chain, from feed ingredients to farm-to-fork.

ASC is advancing the leading certification program for responsible farmed seafood, partnering to increase demand for ASC-labeled products, and championing innovation through industry collaboration. Learn more at SeaGreenBeGreen.com and follow @asc.usa on Instagram.