May 21, 2008

Study reveals US positive on Canadian aquaculture products
 

US seafood buyers look upon Canadian aquaculture products positively but have a lack of understanding on Canada's fish farming practises and products, according to a study commissioned by the federal fisheries department.

The study's authors interviewed seafood wholesalers and importers, retailers and grocery chains as well as seafood restaurants, mostly in New York and other northeastern states and most of who buy salmon.

The study was undertaken to discover how opinion leaders in the US have been affected by criticisms in regards to farmed salmon and how aware Americans are of the Canadian industry's actual standards and practises.

However, many participants showed little knowledge in Canadian aquaculture. Participants admitted they assumed positive things about the industry because they hold Canada in high regard and because the Canadian products they bought had always been of high quality.

Others held less than favourable views about fish farming and reported an increasing demand for wild salmon due to perceived health benefits and negative media focus of salmon farming methods and environmental impacts.

The study also identified 10 major market trends, including a falling fish supply and the increasing popularity of seafood as a protein source.

The US is Canada's main seafood export market, with Chile, China and Thailand as its main competitors. Salmon farming in Canadian province New Brunswick generates sales of more than US$225 million per year, with three-quarters of its production sold in the US.