Salmon industry worldwide reports big drop in antibiotic and fishmeal use
Industry body the Global Salmon Initiative has published its latest sustainability report, which for the first time includes a measure of the progress achieved in making aquafeed more sustainable. The report also charts dramatic progress in reducing the use of antibiotics and medicinal sea lice treatments.
The feed metrics include marine ingredients derived from trimmings, inclusion of novel ingredients, and the percentage of low-risk soy used in feed, as well as an expanded metric on the use of new non-medicinal technologies for sea lice management.
Together, these additional metrics have helped to provide a clearer baseline of feed evolution, monitor progress, and mobilise collective action to demonstrate continued advancement year on year.
The report covers 11 farming member companies across Canada, Chile, Norway and Tasmania which it says providing the largest industry-wide data set publicly available.
The key findings from this year’s report point to a 68% reduction in average antibiotic use for salmonids since 2013, including a 22% reduction in the last five years alone. GSI members continue to reduce antibiotic use through improved holistic fish health management and advanced best-practices.
Also included is a 79% reduction in the average use of combined medicinal sea lice treatments since 2013.
This has been the result, the GSI says, of a significant investment in non-medicinal approaches to sea lice management and farm innovations, which are now also reported on in their own metric showing the percentage of farms using non-medicinal strategies.
It adds that since 2013, there has been a 64% decrease in average fishmeal use and a 31% decrease in average fish oil use. 65% of members’ production is now ASC-certified.
Calculated as an average across total production, the report highlights that almost two-thirds of all GSI production meets the leading global certification program for responsible farmed seafood.
Together, these findings point to a common thread throughout this year’s report that measurable progress is built on transparent, consistent data and collective action.
While the report shows the industry’s overall trajectory continuing in the right direction, GSI members are clear that there is more work ahead, the report stresses.
Sophie Ryan, the GSI’s Chief Executive, said: "There is no hiding from the data. Every metric in this report – from feed sourcing to antibiotic use, to how many people we employ – exists so we can see clearly where we’ve made progress and where we still have work to do.
“This year’s new and expanded metrics give us, and our stakeholders, a more complete picture of how our members our performing and where our collective efforts are driving improvements and that’s the kind of data driven progress GSI was built to deliver.”
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