Feb 25, 2008 12:00 PM, By AMY SUNG

As the USDA slowly develops its organic aquaculture standards, many shoppers are looking beyond — to sustainability certification By: By AMY SUNG

Farmed and wild seafood are one of the only remaining fresh food categories that can't use the official USDA Organic seal, because the U.S. Department of Agriculture still has not developed standards for organic seafood. The delay has been caused by a couple of contentious debates.

Most, if not all, international organic seafood programs will only certify aquaculture operations, where a fish's diet and living conditions can be monitored and controlled. Similarly, at a 2001 meeting, the USDA's National Organic Standards Board determined that organic certification is not appropriate for wild aquatic animals. Here, the finer points of the debate emerge. Are open net pen systems acceptable, or, as opponents argue, do they contaminate their surroundings and do too much harm to wild fish populations to be considered organic? And how can organic aquaculture operations ensure that the diet they feed their stock is also considered organic?

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