Page 32 - Respond 2020 Magazine

RESPOND

THE OCEAN OPPORTUNITY WHEN DECIDING WHICH PROTEIN TO EAT

by Avrim Lazar, Convenor of the Global Salmon Initiative WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHAT IS GOOD
FOR THE PLANET AND OUR HEALTH

Responsible aquaculture for healthy people and a healthy planet

Providing sustainable sources of protein is becoming than wild capture, and demand is growing. If done right,
ever more demanding, but under careful stewardship, the aquaculture can support healthy oceans, healthy people and
oceans represent a vital opportunity. a healthy planet. COMPARED TO BEEF, FARMED SALMON IS
CHICKEN AND PORK, HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS:
More than 37% of the Earth’s land surface is reserved for The most advanced form of aquaculture, salmon farming, is
FARMED SALMON IS THE
agriculture, producing almost all of the food we eat. The an industry with which this year’s COP25 hosts are familiar.
IPCC’s Special Report on Climate Change and Land (August, Chile exports salmon to over 100 markets and farmed MOST PLANET-FRIENDLY HIGH IN OMEGA-3S
2019) demonstrates how fragile and decreasingly productive salmon represents Chile’s second largest export. The CHOICE IN TERMS OF: FOR HEALTHY
that land is. Rapid and large-scale change to the food system industry also provides thousands of jobs for people living in HEART AND BRAIN
is needed to provide nutritious food to a burgeoning global some of Chile’s most remote communities. CARBON
population, without further damaging natural resources. FOOTPRINT HIGH IN PROTEIN
Like all farmers, salmon producers have a duty to rear their
Recommendations such as those from the EAT Lancet animals responsibly. The industry recognises that if it is LAND &
Report, are encouraging us to move towards a plant-based to expand to meet demands in a sustainable manner, a
WATER USE RICH IN VITAMINS
diet. However, due to socio-economic, cultural and access step-change decrease in environmental impact is needed.
AND MINERALS
factors, meat will remain in people’s diets. We need to Achieving such radical change requires a new perspective
FEED RESOURCES
consider the most sustainable and nutritious meat options, on food production, and a group of salmon farmers,
and that includes seafood. representing approximately half of the global industry, has
been trialing a new approach.
This year’s ‘Blue COP’ has pushed the state of oceans up the
climate change agenda. The oceans cover 70% of the planet, The Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) uses collective problem-
yet provide just 5% of the protein we eat. If responsibly solving to drive environmental improvements across the
1. Hilborn et al., 2018. The Environmental Cost of Animal Source Foods
managed, a blue revolution can provide eco-friendly and entire industry, not just the top performers. This CEO- 2. Poore & Nemecek, 2018. Reducing Food’s Environmental Impacts Through Producers and Consumers
3. Fry et al., 2017. Feed Conversion Efficiency in Aquaculture: Do We Measure it Correctly?
nutritious food while alleviating pressure on land and led change model is unlike any other in the food sector, 4. Mowi, 2019. Salmon Farming Industry Handbook
protecting ocean biodiversity. employing a system of pre-competitive collaboration
guided by four key principles: transparency, collaboration,
The blue revolution isn’t a vision for the future; it has begun. When deciding which protein to eat we should consider what is good for the planet and our health.
responsibility and innovation.
Aquaculture provides more seafood for human consumption
GSI focusses regional and global efforts on environmental Commitment to continuous improvement is critical. The
and social priorities. By combining expertise from within Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is the most stringent
the group as well as from NGOs, external private and public environmental certification scheme in aquaculture. Six years
sector partners, it’s easier and faster to innovate and ago, no salmon farms could reach this standard. Today, GSI
improve. members have over 60% of their production certified.
One area where GSI’s model is showing benefit is in the In a changing world, systems must continuously evolve and
major shifts in efficiency and sustainability of feed. Through improve. Salmon farming isn’t going to solve the climate
a focus on innovation, GSI members have and continue to crisis, but through close collaboration between industry,
substantially reduce reliance on wild fishmeal and oil in feed private and public sector partners on the most pressing
by incorporating novel sources such as algal oil. Farmed environmental challenges and opportunities, it can play a
salmon is now one of the most resource-efficient animal part in plugging the expanding protein gap with people- and
proteins available. When compared to the world’s favourite planet-friendly food.
animal proteins (chicken, pork, beef), farmed salmon is the
globalsalmoninitiative.org
most climate-friendly option in terms of carbon footprint,
land use and feed efficiency. @GSI_Salmon

THE GLOBAL SALMON INITIATIVE (GSI)
The Global Salmon Initiative (GSI) is a collective of
companies representing >50% of the global farmed
salmon industry united by a mission to improve the
industry’s environmental and social performance.
GSI is different in that its CEO-led model of pre-
competitive collaboration helps to accelerate
sustainable improvements at speed and scale.

GSI salmon farm in Chile
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