Animal welfare in aquatic production has been gaining increasing attention in discussions about the future of aquaculture. In this context, understanding how certification programs incorporate welfare criteria into their standards is essential for producers, companies, retailers, researchers, and other stakeholders across the production chain.

This is precisely the purpose of the Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark, developed by the Aquatic Life Institute (ALI).

In its fifth edition, published in September 2026, the Benchmark evaluated 12 certification programs and 2 rating agencies, representing the largest scope reached by the study to date.

For the second consecutive year, Certified Humane ranked first, achieving a score of 9.5/10.

What is the Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark?

The Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark is a global, evidence-based tool that evaluates how aquaculture certification programs and product rating systems incorporate animal welfare requirements into their standards.

In other words, the study seeks to answer an important question:

To what extent do aquaculture certification programs establish clear criteria to protect the welfare of farmed aquatic animals?

The Benchmark compares the requirements established in different programs’ standards and assigns scores based on the presence and strength of criteria related to animal welfare.

According to ALI, it is the only global evidence-based tool specifically dedicated to assessing the strength and clarity of animal welfare language within aquaculture certification and rating frameworks.

The results can be used as a reference by certification programs, seafood companies, retailers, policymakers, researchers, investors, and animal protection organizations.

What does the Benchmark evaluate?

The assessment considers different aspects related to the living conditions and management of aquatic animals.

Among the main criteria evaluated are:

Water quality

Water quality is fundamental to the welfare of aquatic animals. Therefore, the Benchmark evaluates whether standards establish requirements related to monitoring and maintaining adequate water quality conditions.

Stocking density

The study also analyzes requirements related to the number of animals kept within a given space.

Stocking density can directly influence animals’ living conditions and is associated with factors such as behavior, water quality, and opportunities for interaction with the environment.

Environmental enrichment

Another aspect evaluated is whether standards include requirements that encourage environments more suited to animals’ behavioral needs.

This is one of the areas where the sector still has opportunities for improvement. The 2026 assessment indicates that aspects related to behavior and the ability to express natural behaviors remain less developed compared to operational welfare criteria.

Feed

The Benchmark also evaluates how standards address feed composition and feeding management practices.

Transport and handling

Transport and handling are important stages for animal welfare and are also included in the assessment.

In the 2026 edition, the transport criterion was expanded to also include routine handling practices.

Stunning and slaughter

Requirements related to stunning and slaughter are also considered in the evaluation, assessing whether standards establish procedures aimed at reducing animal suffering.

In addition to these criteria, what else is considered?

The Benchmark also assigns scores to certain prohibitions considered relevant for animal welfare.

These include:

• farming octopuses and other cephalopods;
• eyestalk ablation in shrimp;
• the use of insects as feed for aquatic animals;
• the use of genetically modified organisms to accelerate growth;
• inappropriate use of antimicrobials.

In the 2026 edition, inappropriate antimicrobial use became one of the core prohibitions assessed.

The report also highlights that six evaluated programs now prohibit the farming of octopuses or other cephalopods: Certified Humane, RSPCA, ASC, Soil Association Organic, Friend of the Sea, and Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP).

What does the Benchmark NOT evaluate?

This point is important.

The Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark is an assessment exclusively focused on animal welfare.

Therefore, the score does not represent an overall evaluation of certification programs.

The study does not assess:

• environmental sustainability;
• food safety;
• social responsibility;
• governance performance;
• implementation of standards on farms;
• compliance of certified operations with the standards.

In other words, a high Benchmark score means that a program has clearer and stronger requirements related to animal welfare, but it does not necessarily indicate the best performance across all other dimensions of aquaculture production.

Certified Humane ranks first again

In the 2026 edition, Certified Humane achieved 9.5 points, maintaining the leading position for the second consecutive year.

The result also represents an improvement compared to the previous edition. In 2025, Certified Humane received 8.75 points and also ranked first.

The three highest scores in 2026 were:

1st Certified Humane: 9.5
2nd RSPCA: 8.45
3rd ASC: 7.95

The improvement in Certified Humane’s score followed the incorporation of new animal welfare provisions into its standards, including updates made based on recommendations presented by ALI in the 2025 Benchmark.

Why is this assessment important for aquaculture?

Aquaculture plays an increasingly important role in global food production, with billions of aquatic animals raised in farming systems worldwide.

At the same time, scientific knowledge about the welfare of these animals continues to advance.

In this context, establishing clear welfare criteria within certification standards can help translate scientific knowledge into practical requirements for production systems.

The ALI Benchmark provides an overview of which aspects are already more established within certification standards and which areas still require further development.

According to the 2026 assessment, requirements related to feed, water quality, stocking density, transport and handling, and stunning and slaughter are increasingly present in the evaluated standards. On the other hand, aspects related to behavioral welfare, environmental complexity, and opportunities for expressing natural behaviors remain areas requiring further development.

Recognition for advancing animal welfare

Certified Humane’s first-place ranking in the 2026 Benchmark represents recognition of the presence of animal welfare requirements within its aquaculture certification standards.

The result highlights the importance of establishing objective, evidence-based, and continuously improved criteria to guide the responsible farming of aquatic animals.

For Certified Humane, this recognition reflects a commitment at the core of its work: supporting farming conditions that consider animals’ needs and contributing to concrete advances in animal welfare.

Learn more about the 2026 Benchmark

The Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark 2026, published by the Aquatic Life Institute, presents the complete assessment of the certification programs and rating agencies analyzed in this edition.

Access the full report to learn more about the methodology, evaluation criteria, and results for each program.

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In this context, independent certifications have taken on a strategic role: providing reliable, auditable, and transparent parameters to ensure that welfare practices are truly implemented—not just communicated.

This is particularly relevant for animal-based food products such as meat, eggs, dairy, and fish, which require traceability, strict criteria, and compliance with international animal welfare standards.

Within this scenario, the results of the 2025 Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark are especially significant.

In its latest edition, the benchmark compared several certification programs in the global salmon market and ranked Certified Humane® as the one with the most comprehensive, robust, and consistent standards.

The program scored 8.75 points — the highest among all schemes analyzed—confirming its technical leadership, high standards of animal welfare, and ongoing commitment to international standards.

The study also marks global recognition of Certified Humane®’s debut in aquaculture, officially launched in 2024 with its salmon-specific standard.

The certification sets objective, verifiable criteria to ensure appropriate handling, feeding, stocking density, transportation, and slaughter practices, maintaining the same scientific rigor established in the certification of poultry, pigs, cattle, and other species.

What the Benchmark Evaluated and Why It Matters

The report assessed various international certifications in detail, comparing their criteria and methodologies across key aspects, including:

• Definition and precision in animal welfare terminology 
• Minimum standards for housing, handling, transport, and slaughter 
• Scientific rigor of the standards 
• Public transparency 
• Audit structure and technical independence 
• Coherence and comprehensiveness in the approach to animal welfare 
• Global presence and adaptability to different production systems 

Although the primary focus was aquaculture certifications, the inclusion of Certified Humane®—traditionally known for land animal standards—broadened the analysis and introduced new comparative parameters.

According to the report, Certified Humane® stood out because it already had a solid framework developed over more than two decades, now being applied to aquaculture. Unlike other certifications with stagnant or outdated criteria, Certified Humane® continually revises and enhances its standards based on new scientific evidence.

What Sets Certified Humane® Apart from Other Global Certifications

Certified Humane®’s strength lies in its integrated approach, going far beyond good intentions. The certification is designed to cover every stage of the animal’s lifecycle:

1. Scientific Basis and Independent Committees

   All standards are developed by international experts in animal behavior, veterinary science, welfare, and production systems. The rules are species-specific and aligned with current scientific literature.

    

2. Holistic Approach to Welfare

   It considers physical and psychological health, natural behavior, environment, nutrition, management, transportation, and humane slaughter—all simultaneously.

    

3. Clear, Measurable, and Auditable Criteria

   Certified Humane® defines exact parameters that can be objectively verified by auditors, such as maximum stocking densities and water quality for aquatic animals.

    

4. Independent Audits and Rigorous Methodology

   The program uses regular on-site audits (sometimes unannounced), conducted by qualified, independent auditors and supported by extensive documentation and compliance evidence.

    

5. Transparency

   Both the benchmark and Certified Humane® make all standards publicly available, allowing consumers, retailers, and producers to understand requirements and track compliance.

    

Practical Impact of International Recognition

Being recognized as the certification with the most robust and comprehensive welfare language has key implications:

For Producers

• Access to more demanding international markets 
• Legal and regulatory predictability 
• Product value enhancement—certified products are better received 
• Encouragement for continuous improvement in practices and infrastructure 

For Retailers and Institutional Buyers

• Reliable criteria for supplier selection 
• Reduced reputational and greenwashing risks 
• Compliance with growing ESG demands 

For Consumers

• Transparency and trust in food choices 
• Assurance of compliance with recognized welfare standards 
• Empowerment to make informed decisions based on verifiable evidence 

For the Global Production Sector

• Elevation of minimum welfare standards in supply chains 
• Push for modernization of regulations 
• Increased demand for research and innovation driven by robust certification standards 

Certified Humane®: A Benchmark for the Future

The expansion into aquaculture is a significant milestone in global animal welfare awareness. After launching the salmon standard in 2024, Certified Humane® has already released a new standard in 2025 for tilapia — Latin America’s most farmed aquatic species.

Aquatic animals have historically been overlooked in welfare discussions, despite scientific evidence showing they experience pain, stress, and discomfort. By achieving top scores in the benchmark, Certified Humane® reinforces:

• That animal welfare is a universal right, not a species privilege 
• That standards must be science-based, auditable, transparent, and adaptable 
• That consumers, producers, and markets are ready to embrace these standards 

Certified Humane®’s recognition in the 2025 Aquaculture Certification Schemes Benchmark confirms its leadership in transforming global food production systems with ethics, scientific rigor, and social-environmental responsibility.

The report makes it clear: among all certifications evaluated, Certified Humane® most consistently and rigorously incorporates international animal welfare principles.

This recognition reinforces:

• The seal’s credibility 
• Its global relevance 
• Its market influence 
• Its importance for consumers, producers, and retailers seeking truly responsible practices
  

It points to a future where animal welfare is no longer a differentiator—but a non-negotiable requirement in food production.

To download the Certified Humane® Atlantic Salmon Standard, access the link.

For Certified Humane®, this achievement represents a monumental step in the expansion of its operations. “For us, it’s extremely important, as it marks Humane Farm Animal Care’s entry into aquatic animal certification. It’s an incredible expansion of our reach, which now extends to more than 20 countries and covers several species. Atlantic salmon is just the beginning, we are already developing standards for tilapia, targeting markets such as Brazil and some Asian countries,” says Luiz Mazzon, the organization’s director for Latin America and Asia.

For three decades, Cermaq Chile has stood out as a proven leader in aquaculture, both nationally and internationally. The company’s trajectory began in 1985 with the start-up of Mainstream’s salmon subsidiary. Since then, Cermaq has grown and changed, acquiring other companies along the way. 

In 2013, it adopted the Cermaq name across all its global operations, including Chile, Norway and Canada, as part of a brand positioning strategy. In 2014, Mitsubishi Corporation acquired Cermaq, opening doors to important Asian markets. Years later, Mitsubishi consolidated its operations in Chile, merging Cermaq Chile with Salmones Humboldt. Today, Cermaq Chile is the Cermaq group’s largest operation, with a workforce that, in its peak season, reaches 2,800 employees.

Rigor at every stage of production

The Certified Humane® certification is recognized globally for its rigorous requirements, which cover all stages of production. From access to a high-quality, nutritious diet to creating an environment that minimizes physical and physiological discomfort, certified producers like Cermaq must comply with all the guidelines established to guarantee the highest standard of animal welfare.

These guidelines include detailed practices that ensure salmon live in conditions that respect their natural needs. This involves everything from water quality and the space available for the fish to management methods that reduce stress and promote the animals’ health and growth.

As well as enhancing producers’ reputations and differentiating their products on the global market, Certified Humane® certification offers significant advantages for both the salmon industry and consumers. It promotes responsible farming practices, contributing to environmental sustainability and protecting marine biodiversity.

The Certified Humane® Atlantic Salmon standard is a reflection of this deep commitment to animal welfare and sustainability. Certification represents a step towards a more sustainable future for aquaculture and the planet as a whole.

Availability of the standard 

For those interested in understanding the certification criteria in more detail, the Certified Humane® standard for Atlantic Salmon is available to download in Spanish. This document offers a complete overview of the recommended and mandatory practices to ensure that all aspects of animal welfare are strictly observed.

With this certification, Cermaq leads by example, promoting aquaculture practices that are responsible, sustainable and forward-looking.