This week Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) published its annual Sustainability Report, which provides 7 years of data on 15 key indicators, including health, environmental and social metrics, for more than 50 % of the global aquaculture industry.
Blumar Seafoods is a proud member of GSI, and is pleased to be part of an action-oriented initiative that focuses on driving the environmental changes across the industry necessary to support salmon farming’s contribution to healthy and sustainable diets and food systems.
“As salmon farmers, we know that aquaculture is one of the most eco-efficient ways to produce protein and that salmon farming represents a possible solution to our future food challenges. Our work is to ensure that we can realize this vision in a responsible way, and for this, it is important to demonstrate the management we carry out through transparency with our stakeholders”, commented Gerardo Balbontin, General Manager of Blumar Seafoods.
GSI’s annual report is a testament to the group’s firm commitment to establishing permanent transparency and ensuring long-term value by improving the environmental performance of the entire industry.
The report highlights a series of trends across the industry, which include:
- A 50 % reduction in antibiotic use over the last 7 years, which can be attributed to GSI members’ improvements in responsible antibiotic management, disease control and fish welfare.
- In 2019, more than 710 000 tonnes of farmed salmon from GSI members were sold as certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), representing nearly 65 % of GSI members’ total production. Farms continue on track to achieve 100 % certification; ASC is recognized as the most rigorous environmental standard for aquaculture.
- A shift towards a more holistic approach to preventing and managing sea lice has resulted in a 50 % reduction in medicine use and a 130 % increase in non-medicinal methodologies since 2013.
- Continuous efforts to streamline the availability and adoption of alternative feed ingredients for responsible feed, such as new oils (algae and canola crops) and fish by-products are supporting a growing industry to reduce its dependence on marine ingredients.
- Compared to other animal proteins, farmed salmon represents an environmentally conscious choice, with a lower carbon footprint, requiring less land and making more efficient use of feed resources.
- Farmed salmon provides a nutrient-dense food that promotes healthy diets.
Gerardo Balbontin, General Manager of Blumar Seafoods and co-chair of GSI, noted: “The GSI Sustainability Report shows many promising trends across the industry, but most importantly, we can see that collaborative work as an industry has powerful positive impacts such as the 50% reduction in antibiotic use since 2013. We have been able to see continuous progress despite regional challenges and companies’ commitment to not slow down”.
Along with other GSI members, Blumar’s commitment is to help feed the world in a healthier and more sustainable way through advances in responsible salmon farming. GSI members recognize their ability, and responsibility, to drive positive change at scale to deliver healthy food produced with minimal environmental impact; and through the publication of this report, we hope to benchmark our progress and invite you to join us on our journey toward a more sustainable future.
To view the GSI Sustainability Report, please click here.
ABOUT GSI
Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) is a leadership initiative established in 2013 by global farmed salmon producers and focused on achieving significant progress in industry sustainability. Currently, GSI is made up of 14 companies, which represent approximately 50 % of the global salmon production industry, that are fully committed to achieving the common goal of providing a highly sustainable source of healthy food to feed a growing global population, while minimizing their environmental footprint and continuing to improve their social contribution.
GSI member companies are Australis Seafoods S.A.; Bakkafrost; Blumar; Cermaq; Salmones Camanchaca SA; Empresas AquaChile; Grieg Seafood ASA; Mowi; Multiexport Foods S.A.; New Zealand King Salmon; Nova Sea AS; Salmones Austral; Tassal and Ventisqueros. GSI companies have a presence in Australia, Canada, Chile, the Faroe Islands, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom, and make significant contributions to the economies of these respective countries.
Additionally, GSI has a number of associate members in the pharmaceutical and feed industries, including: Benchmark Holdings plc; BioMar; Cargill; Elanco; Merck, Sharp and Dohme (MSD) Animal Health; PHARMAQ; Salmofood and Skretting.
For additional information about GSI, visit us or contact us through the following options:
Website: www.globalsalmoninitiative.org/es/
Email GSI Secretariat: GSI@axon-com.com
Twitter: @GSI_Salmon_es
LinkedIn: Global Salmon Initiative
Instagram: @GSI_Salmon
