Canadian salmon industry publishes first sector-wide sustainability report

The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) has released its first Sustainability Report for the Canadian salmon farming sector, highlighting the industry’s commitment to delivering the world’s most sustainable, safest and best quality salmon.

The 2024 report covers data from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022, and is centred around seven national, industry-wide commitments for salmon farming.

It outlines the sector’s key actions and targets in the seven identified priority areas: fish health, climate change, sustainable feed, food security, food traceability, ocean health, and public reporting.

“Our goal is to be the most sustainable animal protein product in the world, and this report is a crucial tool in building that knowledge across Canada,” said CAIA president and chief executive Tim Kennedy.

“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."

Lowest escape total

The report shows that escapes in 2022 were at historic low, demonstrating significant progress in ensuring containment and protection of wild fish populations.

Aligned with CAIA’s commitment to transparency, the Sustainability Report will be published annually, to provide multi-year performance data in the future.

CAIA said it will continue evaluating the seven commitments using the proficiency scale (emerging, developing, proficient, extending). As the report outlines, the industry is developing in performance tracking, climate change efforts, and ocean health practices, while achieving proficient status in fish health, food security, and public reporting. Its food traceability systems are extending, ensuring full accountability from farm to fork. The CAIA said the report underscores its progress and dedication to advancing sustainability across operations.

Just the start

“This is just the beginning,” said Kennedy. “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.”

Funding for this project has been provided through the AgriAssurance Program under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.