First global guidelines for aquaculture certification finalised

• The first global guidelines for aquaculture certification, covering animal health, food safety, environment and socio-economic issues relating to aquaculture workers, have been adopted by a panel of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
• The guidelines, finalised after four years of consultation and debate among governments, producers, traders and processors, have been adopted by the sub-committee of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on aquaculture.
• If the guidelines are followed in full by countries, certification will enable consumers standing at the fish counter to know whether the shrimp they are considering buying were raised without damaging a coastal mangrove swamp, whether the fish farm worker was paid a fair wage, and whether the shell fish is free of contamination
• World fish production was 143.6 million tonnes in 2006. India produces about 6.57 million tonne fish every year.