New Brunswick farmers react to Greenpeace report

Tor-Eddie Fossbakk During the same meeting, Greenpeace International published a new report, “Challenging the Aquaculture Industry on Sustainability”. This report calls for the aquaculture industry to take immediate steps to change its current practices, which Greenpeace calls “destructive”. New Brunswick Salmon Growers Association (NBSGA) issued a press release responding to some of the criticism from Greenpeace. "Many of the local solutions identified for aquaculture at this conference have already been embraced by our New Brunswick growers," said Dr. Jamey Smith, NBSGA’s Executive Director, in the press release. "Participation in this international conference and dialogue with fishery and aquaculture producers, suppliers and researchers, as well as non-governmental organizations is part of our commitment to sustainability and an opportunity to ensure we continue to be leaders in our industry." Salmon farmers from Canada's east coast are leaders in environmental stewardship and provide social and economic value to their coastal and rural communities. They abide by rigorous, science-based environment, and fish health and welfare programs. Farms in the Bay of Fundy are organized and regulated by a Bay Management Area system that governs stocking, separation of sites and fallowing between crops. A performance-based management system establishes stringent environmental quality standards, monitoring programs, codes of practice, reporting requirements and regulatory responsibilities. East coast salmon farmers are also leaders in Integrated Multi-trophic Aquaculture, a method that combines several species of fish, shellfish, and plants in one operation. "We have learned at this conference that the salmon farming industry on Canada's east coast is already meeting or exceeding many of the recommendations being made by the non-governmental and certification organizations," Dr. Smith said in the press release.