Sustainability · Updated 28 September 2026 · 5 min
Organic, ASC and MSC: what do fish labels mean?
Organic production, responsible farming and sustainable wild catch are not the same. Learn to read the labels on your fish.
By Schaap’s Vishandel · fishmonger since 1938
The labels on your fish
The label tells you how the fish was farmed or caught. Organic refers to organic farming, ASC to responsible farming and MSC to sustainable wild fishing.
Organic farming
The EU organic label for fish applies to farmed fish. The rules cover what the fish are fed and how much space they have.
ASC and MSC
For ASC, independent auditors check water quality, fish health and working conditions on the farm. For MSC, they assess the fish stock, the impact of fishing on other marine life and how the fishery is managed.
Our salmon and shrimp
Our VÅRLAKS salmon comes from an ASC-certified family farm in northern Norway. Our Dutch brown shrimp are caught in the North Sea and carry the MSC label.
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