Grieg BC achieves multisite ASC certification

Grieg Seafood BC has announced it has achieved multisite certification from the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) for five of its Sunshine Coast salmon farms.

ASC is an independent, international non-profit organization that manages the world’s leading certification for aquaculture. Its standards are transparent, science-based and inclusive, and were developed in line with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The five farms were audited and then issued certification as a group early in July. Mowi is the only other aquaculture company in the world to have received ASC’s multi-site certification.

“At Grieg Seafood, we work hard to reduce our environmental impact and improve fish welfare. We are proud of our team in British Columbia for the progress they are making, this time as one of the first companies in the world to achieve ASC’s multi-site certification,” said Andreas Kvame, CEO of Grieg Seafood. “It is important to Grieg to continue to advance in areas of sustainability and environmental accountability wherever we farm in the world, and attaining ASC certification at our farms is a step in that direction.”

The farms that were issued ASC certification are Ahlstrom, Culloden, Site 13, Salten and Vantage. Meanwhile, Grieg’s Barnes Bay farm in Okisollo Channel will be added to this group certificate in the coming months, the company said.

“Across the board, our employees worked hard to get this multi-site certification, all while working around COVID-19 distancing protocols, and that’s incredible,” said Rocky Boschman, managing director of Grieg Seafood BC. “Despite that challenge, we are still on track to have all of our farms ASC certified by 2021.

“ASC is important because we believe that the ASC standard has helped us to become a better partner with the Nations in whose territories we operate.”

Grieg’s Nootka Sound farms received ASC certification earlier this year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, it was vital for Grieg to continue pursuing its certification goals and get its Sunshine Coast farms ASC certified as well, the company stressed.

The next farms Grieg will be pursuing ASC certification for are Esperanza, Hecate and Steamer in the Esperanza Inlet on the west coast of Vancouver Island.