It is the intention to have all farms operated by GSI members ASC certified by 2020
Global Salmon Initiative launches 6th year of industry-wide sustainability data via annual report
(ITALY, 5/8/2019)
Today at the Seeds&Chips Global Food Innovation Summit in Milan, Italy, the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) released its annual Sustainability Report, providing 6 years’ of data across 14 key indicators – 9 environmental and 5 social – for over 50% of the global industry.
The report, which includes data from the 14 members of GSI, in eight regions, which represents more than half of global production, shows a series of positive long-term trends, which are the result of the group's constant focus on innovation of the industry and in the exchange of best practices, with respect to environmental improvements.
Carbon Footprint
A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by the production of a product. Carbon footprint is measured in grams of carbon dioxide equivalent (g CO2eq) per typical serving (40 g) of edible protein of the product. Data are median values.
“Transparency is a key component in driving change. By being transparent we are saying we are here for the long-term. We acknowledge improvements are still needed, and through transparency we are being open and truthful with ourselves and our stakeholders about our continuous journey in ensuring farmed salmon is a healthy and sustainable protein option for the future,” commented Avrim Lazar, GSI Convenor.
Key trends from the Sustainability Report include:
· Farmed salmon continues to be one of the most eco-efficient forms of animal protein production – with the lowest carbon footprint, lowest feed conversion ratio, and lowest land use
· Over 620,000 tons of GSI farmed salmon are now Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified from over 185 farms worldwide, and represent almost 60% of total GSI members’ production
· In analyzing 6 years of data, a number of positive trends can be identified:
- o A 50% decrease in the use of sea lice treatments, coupled with a 120% increase in use of non-medicinal methods – technological advancements and best-practice sharing have facilitated this move to a more holistic approach to sea lice management
- o The amount of fishmeal and fish oil in feed reduced by 17% and 9%, respectively, resulting in an overall 11% decrease in the use of marine ingredients in feed – due to innovations in the sourcing of feed ingredients
Global Production
Global production of farmed salmon and livestock primary products, measured in tonnes.
Mowi CEO and GSI Co-Chair Alf-Helge Aarskog, added: “As we share the 6th year of sustainability data, it is interesting to see that the areas we identified as priority for the GSI to work on (biosecurity, sourcing of sustainable feed and independent certification) and the areas showing greatest progress in the report are the same. Clearly this shows that if we focus and coordinate efforts we can have a significant impact on improving environmental performance.”
Feed Conversion Ratio
Feed conversion ratio (FCR) measures the productivity of different protein production methods. It demonstrates the kilograms (kg) needed to increase the animal’s bodyweight by 1kg. A lower FCR represents a more efficient use of feed resources.
The GSI group has also begun to focus on innovation as one of the sector’s main drivers for environmental improvement.
“Through the collective power of the group, we have the means to mobilize and initiate the further advancement of novel ideas – something we have observed has real impact when it comes to disease management and improving feed efficiencies, both areas where the report shows significant progress,” noted Lazar.
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