GSA backs BC salmon farming amid upcoming licensing decision

Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) says it supports the British Columbia salmon farming sector, as it gets closer to the Canadian government announcing its decision regarding salmon farming licensing this spring.

According to Modern Salmon Farming in BC: A Review, the salmon farming sector in B.C. produces 400 million meals yearly and provides about 6,000 direct and indirect jobs. Salmon is the province’s leading seafood and agri-food export, generating over $1 billion in economic output.

“The salmon farming sector in British Columbia is an invaluable contributor to local economies and provides a reliable source of healthy, responsible protein to Canada and the global marketplace,” said Mike Kocsis, CEO of GSA.

The press release from the GSA states that all the salmon farming sites in B.C. have been certified by at least one third-party certification program, including Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) which covers the entire aquaculture production chain, including the processing plant, farm, hatchery and feed mill. 

Opponents of salmon farming in B.C. have come forward with concerns about the risk of salmon farms affecting wild salmon populations have been met with federal reviews such as the Canadian Scientific Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) and peer-reviewed studies which indicate that there is less than minimal risk to wild salmon.

GSA and BCSFA will be jointly hosting a roundtable, “Farming for the Future: Responsible Salmon Farming in British Columbia,” on June 4 to bring together Young Salmon Farmers of B.C. and a representative from the Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation to discuss the responsible practices employed by the sector and what goes into attaining BAP certification. The discussion will include a real-time look at a farm and will be followed by a live Q&A session.