ISO 17273:2024

International
Standard
ISO 17273
First edition
Waste management and reduction
2024-03
from aquaculture facilities in
natural water bodies — Principles
and guidelines
Gestion et réduction des déchets des installations aquacoles dans
les plans d'eau naturels — Principes et lignes directrices
Reference number
© ISO 2024
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
3.1 Materials and waste .1
3.2 Aquaculture .2
3.3 Principles and planning .3
4 Principles . 3
4.1 General .3
4.2 Avoid littering and pollution .4
4.2.1 General .4
4.2.2 Main components and extra equipment, and other equipment and products .4
4.2.3 Best practice .4
4.3 Waste to be treated as a resource .5
4.3.1 Optimize circular economy (CE) .5
4.3.2 Avoid reducing waste quality .5
4.3.3 Adapt to local waste management systems .5
4.3.4 Use the waste hierarchy for planning and prioritization.5
4.3.5 Make awareness raising a priority .6
5 Waste plan . 6
5.1 General .6
5.2 Classification of waste .6
5.3 Handling of hazardous waste .7
5.4 Planning to store and handle waste .7
5.5 Planning delivery of waste-to-waste receivers .7
5.6 Monitoring of waste .7
6 Waste management . 7
6.1 General .7
6.2 Waste from operations .7
6.2.1 General .7
6.2.2 Waste from flushing and cleaning .7
6.2.3 Lost main components and extra equipment, and other equipment .7
6.2.4 Waste from vessel, barges and aquaculture main components and extra
equipment, and other equipment maintenance .8
7 Storage of waste . 8
7.1 General .8
7.2 Discharge into aquatic and other environment .8
8 Documentation . 8
Bibliography . 9

iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 234, Fisheries and aquaculture.
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iv
Introduction
A productive, healthy, and clean aquatic environment is vital for aquaculture. It is therefore essential to avoid
littering and other types of pollution to reduce the environmental footprint of marine sectors. Despite of
this, marine and fresh waters are recipients for litter and other pollutants, intentionally or unintentionally.
Waste and litter occurring in marine and fresh waters are to a large extent transported over large distances,
often following the ocean currents. Problems due to marine pollution therefore need to be solved at an
international level as well as at a national one. Reduced release of waste into the marine and fresh water
bodies will also make a significant contribution to improved resource management, increased sustainable
food-production and improved circular economy.
Waste management in aquaculture could contribute to:
— Reduction of litter and other pollutants from aquaculture.
— Reduced macro and micro plastic levels in marine and fresh waters, and on the seabed.
— Reduction of litter in the littoral zone and nearby terrestrial areas, as well as on recreation areas.
— Reduced environmental impact from the seafood industry, e.g. on fish species, invertebrates, reptiles,
birds and mammals.
— Increased contribution to circular economy, e.g. reuse and recycling of equipment from aquaculture.
— Healthy aquatic ecosystems.
v
International Standard ISO 17273:2024(en)
Waste management and reduction from aquaculture facilities
in natural water bodies — Principles and guidelines
1 Scope
This document specifies a system for waste management and reduction of solid waste in aquaculture. It
includes management plans, methods, principles and guidelines. This document is relevant for aquaculture
in marine and fresh water bodies.
This document does not apply to land-based aquaculture and does not comprise biological waste.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1 Materials and waste
3.1.1
waste
substance or object which are disposed of, are intended to be disposed of or are required to be disposed of
by the provisions of national law
Note 1 to entry: In this document, “waste” does not include biological waste.
[SOURCE: ISO 5020:2022, 3.1.1]
3.1.2
litter
solid material, object or fragment which has been deliberately discarded or unintentionally lost
Note 1 to entry: According to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, MARPOL 73/78
(Appendix V "Rules for the Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships"), litter means all types of food, household
and operational waste, all types of plastics, cargo residues, ash from incinerators, cooking oil, fishing gear and
carcasses of animals that are formed during the normal operation of the vessel
...