Two Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon Ltd. salmon farms located in the Mackenzie Basin area near Twizel, New Zealand, have been Best Aquaculture Practices certified – the fist in Australasia.
The unique Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon facilities are the highest salmon farms in the world, raising fish in canals that carry glacial water from mountain lakes to hydroelectric stations. Their isolated location provides a culture environment free of diseases and chemical contaminants. Mt. Cook Alpine salmon, which have been produced in net pens at low rearing densities since 1992, are not treated with vaccines or antibiotics at any life stage.
"Not only is this a tremendous achievement for Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon, but it is also a significant moment for New Zealand aquaculture in general," Mt. Cook chairman, the Right Honorable J. B. Bolger ONZ said.
The farms' first-in-region BAP certifications demonstrate Mt. Cook's commitment to industry leadership and sustainability, says Jeff Sedacca, president of the Shrimp and Aquaculture Division of Maine, USA-based National Fish and Seafood, Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon's key worldwide distributor.
"The quality of the salmon - and being able to drink the water after it passes through the farms - truly set Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon apart from any other aquaculture operations in the world," he said.
