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Southeast Asian aquaculture research body receives ISO accreditation

A Philippine-based research organization charged with developing aquaculture technologies and training people in the industry has received accreditation from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The Philippine Accreditation Bureau (PAB) granted the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation for the biological and chemical testing of the laboratory of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center /Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) based in Tigbauan, Iloilo, in the western Philippines. The accreditation means that the SEAFDEC/AQD facility meets internationally accepted standards in its analytical procedures and has an effective laboratory quality management system.

The Philippines, as host, provides AQD the physical facilities and the funds for operations and the salaries of researchers, scientists, and service personnel. AQD works closely with various universities, fishery schools, and government agencies in the Philippines. AQD also has strong linkages with foreign research and academic institutions and international agencies.

World-class quality testing can now be enjoyed by fish farmers and researchers for their feeds and water samples at the research organization’s centralized analytical laboratory (CAL), a press release from the SEAFDEC said. CAL, which analyzed almost 2,000 samples in 2020, caters mainly to SEAFDEC/AQD’s own researchers, but also accepts samples from the public.

“CAL’s ISO accreditation is good news to our clients especially the academe. The academe is a major client of our laboratory facilities in conducting chemical and biological tests needed for student research,” according to SEAFDEC/AQD Chief Dan Baliao.

“ISO/IEC 17025:2017 is the most recent version of ISO standard for testing and calibration laboratories.  This specifies the general requirements for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories,” said Jeralyn Panizales, officer-in-charge of SEAFDEC/AQD’s Laboratory Facilities for Advanced Aquaculture Technologies where CAL belongs. “A laboratory with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation will set it apart from other laboratories since it is an ideal management system model that aims to control quality costs, improve measurement accuracy, and guarantee valid and reliable results.”