July 15, 2010
Farmed British Columbia's salmon may soon carry federal organic label
Farmed fish raised in open net pens in the ocean could soon have Canada's organic stamp of endorsement on their packaging if the federal government implements its plan for new organic aquaculture standards.
The summer consultations have just begun, but the draft proposal, presented by the Canadian General Standards Board and organic aquaculture working group at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, has already fired up a debate about the industry's environmental practices and whether the move just muddies the meaning of "organic" for consumers.
Ottawa's proposed organic certification system for farmed fish also puts Canada at odds with the US, where draft rules of the US National Standards Board would disqualify non-native species that are raised in open net pens from carrying the US government's organic label.
This would mean the overwhelming majority of fish produced by B.C. salmon farms would fail the US organic test, but meet the proposed Canadian standards.
While Atlantic Canada has some aquaculture operators, salmon farming is now the single-largest food production sector in the B.C. economy, providing farmed Atlantic salmon to consumers across Canada and internationally.
B.C. is also the world's fourth-largest farmed salmon producer in the world, after Norway, Chile and Scotland, according to the federal government.
Mary Ellen Walling, executive director of the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association, said consumers need not fret about the government's organic certification proposal for farmed fish because industry would only get behind strong standards.
"From our point of view, we would want to see that the standards are strong to maintain consumer confidence in the organic designation," said Walling, emphasising that in consultations with Ottawa on the draft proposals, companies were very committed to achieving a very high level of environmental measurement and social responsibility and sustainability.
