Marine Harvest Canada (MHC), BC’s largest supplier of BC farm-raised salmon, announced Thursday that it has achieved the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification at five marine salmon farm sites.
Third party audits of the BAP Salmon Farms standard will continue at all remaining MHC salmon farms. Successful certification of these additional sites will guarantee a continuous supply of certified product for Marine Harvest Canada customers, the company says.
“We are extremely pleased to have achieved this certification milestone which demonstrates our commitment to environmental integrity and continual improvement throughout our operations,” says Clare Backman, MHC Sustainability Director.
The BAP standard for Salmon Farms ensures the environmental impacts of aquaculture – water quality, feed resource conservation, fish escapes and wildlife interaction – are reduced or eliminated. It also covers community, animal health and welfare as well as food safety aspects of farming operations.
“BAP certification ensures that Marine Harvest Canada is responsive to the interests of our customers and the communities in which we operate,” says Paula Galloway, Certification Manager. “It validates that our farming practices protect the environment for local wildlife as well as our fish while providing a safe and effective working environment for Marine Harvest Canada staff.”
“Consistent practices that ensure environmental responsibility are imperative throughout our production. Our customers expect these high standards at all Marine Harvest Canada sites, not just a select few. Therefore, all marine farms will undergo BAP Salmon Farms standard audits prior to market,” Backman added.
Today’s certification announcement is an important step in the company’s interest in receiving a full “4 star rating” from BAP, which will include certification of all its salmon farms, processing plants, feed mill suppliers and freshwater hatcheries.
The Global Aquaculture Alliance, the leading standards-setting organization for aquaculture seafood, is an international, non-profit trade association whose Best Aquaculture Practices program provides comprehensive, metrics-based certification for aquaculture facilities -- including farms, hatcheries, feed mills and processing plants. For more information on GAA, visit www.gaalliance.org. Marine Harvest Canada is British Columbia’s largest salmon aquaculture company with operations located on Vancouver Island and surrounding waters.