"While we celebrate our achievements, we are acutely aware that there is always more work to be done," said Timothy J. Kennedy, President and CEO of CAIA.
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The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) announced yesterday the launch of its first Sustainability Report. Based on seven national industry commitments for salmon farming in Canada, the report includes baseline results around key actions and targets in seven identified priority areas: fish health, climate change, sustainable feed, food security, food traceability, ocean health, and public reporting.
According to the release issued by the CAIA on its launch, this report provides "the real goods on the Canadian salmon farming sector's commitment to sustainability, transparency, and continuous improvement."
"Our goal is to be nothing less than the most sustainable animal protein product in the world, and this report is a crucial tool in building that knowledge across Canada," said Timothy J. Kennedy, President and CEO of CAIA commenting on the launch.
"As the first annual report for the Canadian salmon farming sector's national Performance Commitments, this document is the product of extensive collaboration across the sector," he added.
Specifically, this 2024 Sustainability Report covers data from January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022, on topics such as escapes, carbon footprint, traceability, fish mortality, feed, fish health, and even wild salmon, "marking the beginning of CAIA's sustainability disclosure journey."
Among the highlights of this first report, the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance pointed out that escapes are at a historic low, which, they noted, demonstrates the industry's significant progress in ensuring containment.
In addition, CAIA also noted that Canadian farm-raised salmon has the lowest carbon footprint among all major farmed animal species, reinforcing the industry's commitment to environmental sustainability.
That highlight is added to the 100% traceability of the salmon raised in Canadian farms, guaranteeing transparency and consumer confidence in the quality and origin of the product.
Finally, the report also highlights the Canadian salmon farming industry's renewed commitment to reducing fish mortality, using certified 100% sustainable feed, reducing stress and improving fish health, and supporting the health of wild salmon stocks.
In line with that commitment to transparency, CAIA's Sustainability Report will be published annually to provide multi-year performance data. Year after year, the Alliance will continue to evaluate the seven commitments using a proficiency scale: emerging, developing, proficient, extending.
According to the report, the industry is developing its efforts in performance monitoring, climate change, and ocean health practices, while achieving proficient status in fish health, food safety, and public reporting.
CAIA also noted that its food traceability systems are expanding, ensuring full accountability from farm to fork. It further added that the report - available in full here - underscores its progress and dedication to advancing sustainability throughout its operations.
This 2024 Sustainability Report comes at a challenging time for marine aquaculture in Canada following the Government's announcement to ban open net-pen salmon aquaculture in British Columbia by 2029. "There has never been a more important point in time to champion, nurture and grow Canada's aquaculture industry," the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance said in a statement released last week announcing the appointment of Joel Richardson as its new Board Chair.
"This is just the beginning," Timothy J. Kennedy commented now. "While we celebrate our achievements, we are acutely aware that there is always more work to be done. With the right regulatory environment and a commitment to innovation, we will continue to advance the sector's performance, responding to challenges and ensuring a healthy, secure, and high-quality Canadian source of food for all Canadians," CAIA's President and CEO concluded.
