Port Hardy — Marine Harvest Canada’s Marsh Bay farm is the first salmon farm in North America to attain Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification. The company expects its first ASC salmon to enter the North American market in February.
Meeting ASC salmon requirements is particularly challenging given its demanding expectations and has required fundamental changes to Marine Harvest’s Canadian operations.
The standard emphasizes environmental and conservation principles that protect natural habitats, biodiversity and wild fish populations through rigourous criteria for environmental monitoring, responsible disease management, and feed ingredient choice. Demonstrating socially responsible practices that support workers and communities is another significant focus of the standard.
Given the company’s commitment to achieve certification of all farms by 2020, Marine Harvest Canada’s Public Affairs Director, Clare Backman, states he is proud of this first step which “validates our commitment to align our operations with the toughest standards and highest environmental and social principles.
“We are happy to celebrate this milestone which has been anticipated by the public and our customers,” Backman said.
Marsh Bay joins fewer than 30 salmon farms worldwide that have succeeded in achieving the certification since the standard’s release in June 2012.
Marine Harvest Canada is British Columbia’s leading aquaculture company and supplier of Sterling brand salmon.
The ASC Salmon Standard was developed as part of the World Wildlife Fund’s aquaculture dialogues.
More information about the standard and certified farms can be found at www.asc-aqua.org.
