Making the right decisions today for tomorrow
Campbell River Courier-Islander, September 24, 2014
For B.C.'s salmon farmers, sustainability means making the right decisions today to ensure a healthy tomorrow.
This reasoning is why we pay attention to the environmental, social, and economical implications of the work we do. We back up this commitment through the transparency of our actions and by sharing information about our plans, principles, and programs.
Over the last 30 years, salmon farming techniques have improved dramatically thanks to a strong culture of innovation and continuous improvement. New technology and advanced fish health research have enabled the industry to grow into an economically and socially vibrant part of the British Columbia landscape.
As an industry, we go to great lengths to raise healthy fish in a healthy environment. Key factors for fish health include choosing the best growing sites, continually increasing our scientific understanding of fish health, developing new feed practices, implementing strong biosecurity protocols, and maintaining the health of the environment we operate in.
We make sure the needs of our fish are met so that they are vibrant and strong. And it's working. The survival rate of ocean-raised farm-raised salmon is between 90 and 95 per cent on B.C.'s coast.
Of all farmed vertebrates, fish are among the most efficient energy and protein converters because they are cold blooded, have a relatively small bone structure and are naturally buoyant in water. Fish need much less food to gain protein which has important consequences from a climate-change perspective, as the carbon footprint of farmed salmon is half of that of pork and one-tenth that of beef.
There are no genetic modifications or hormones used to enhance growth for B.C.'s farm-raised salmon, and antibiotics are never used preventatively.
BC Salmon Farmers Association members have nearly eliminated fish escapes, with only nine fish escaped in 2012 and eight fish in 2013.
Marine mammal interactions have also been minimized - with only two authorized control activities undertaken for 2013. B.C. is leading the way in third party certification. Our province is home to North America's only producer of certified organic chinook salmon, Steelhead grown in Lois Lake near Powell River have been recognized by the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise program, and all producers of Atlantic salmon have achieved the Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification which is endorsed by leading Aquariums and Conservation Organizations.
B.C.'s Atlantic salmon producers have pledged to reach the stringent Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification by 2020, with the goal to be the first region producing 100 per cent 'Gold Standard' certified salmon.
B.C.'s salmon farmers are achieving some of the world's best feed-conversion ratios - with 1.2 kg of feed on average producing 1 kg of salmon.
Some companies have even met the below-1 kg of feed goal of making salmon farming a net-protein producer.
