14.8 billion meals annually from salmon farming

In March, at the Seafood Expo North America in Boston, a new report on the global socioeconomic impact of salmon farming was released by the International Salmon Farmers’ Association, outlining statistics about the planet’s growing population and the ways in which salmon aquaculture can meet the growing demand for seafood, among other sector details.

            The report, entitled Salmon Farming: Sustaining Communities and Feeding the World, found that global salmon farmers produce 14.8 billion meals every year from only .00008 per cent of the world’s oceans, creating 121,000 jobs around the world, directly and indirectly up and down the supply chain.

            “In British Columbia we produce less than 5% of the annual global harvest, however our farming sector is worth more than $1-billion (CDN) towards the provincial economy and provides stable, good paying jobs in rural communities,” Jeremy Dunn, executive director of the British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association, said during the announcement.

            Gail Shea, Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, said the ISFA report marks a significant milestone in the development of the salmon farming industry. 

            “This report confirms Canada’s aquaculture industry has come of age. It illustrates the critical importance of salmon farming globally and how Canada’s coastal communities are uniquely positioned to benefit,” said Shea.

            According to the report, the global salmon farming industry produces $10 billion (USD) worth of salmon each year.

– Erich Luening