Mainstream Canada''s Brent Island farm in B.C. is the first salmon farm in the world to be certified to the Global Aquaculture Alliance''s Best Aquaculture Practices new standards for farmed salmon.
The Brent Island farm audit took notice of Mainstream Canada's standard operating procedures, which in some cases have the company self-regulating to a higher standard than government requirements, said Richard Finch, Mainstream Canada's Certification and Quality Manager.
"This is great news for us and shows that we are operating to our high standards of environmental and socially responsible practices," he said. "We were able to meet the BAP standards thanks to our comprehensive management systems, which are certified to ISO standards."
Fernando Villarroel, Mainstream Canada's Managing Director, said Mainstream Canada has chosen to seek Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) standards because they align with the company's principles of sustainability.
"The standards are dedicated to advancing environmentally and socially responsible aquaculture. They are made to continuously improve over time and they are the result of an international science-based certification program," he said.
This spring, Mainstream Canada was the first salmon farming company to receive Aboriginal Principles for Sustainable Aquaculture certification through the Aboriginal Aquaculture Association. As well, the company received a COR award from the Food and Manufacturing Industry Occupational Safety Alliance of B.C. recognizing safe work practices.
Mainstream Canada says it is pleased to add BAP to its suite of certifications and plans to seek additional BAP certifications for other sites.
The BAP standard for salmon aquaculture was finalised in June by the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), which operates under the goal of "feeding the world through responsible aquaculture."
Mainstream Canada's Brent Island farm was audited in October 2011 and the company received notification 12 December it had been awarded the new certification.
