Land-raised salmon earns Seafood Watch praise

Atlantic salmon farmed on land and in indoor facilities have earned the top sustainability ranking by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program. 

With the “best choice” recommendation, product from Kuterra Land Raised Atlantic salmon, produced on Vancouver Island, Canada, is also approved by the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise program. “These three farms are considered to be representative of current practices and therefore the assessment and recommendation is applicable globally to additional farms as they develop unless there is a demonstrable difference in production practices,” the Seafood Watch report stated. The farms’ final scores ranged from 7.14 to 8.02 out of a possible 10. To download the entire report, click here.

"We are delighted that the third-party assessment conducted by the Monterey Bay Aquarium has validated Kuterra operations as one of the most sustainable Atlantic salmon aquaculture operations globally," says Garry Ullstrom, Kuterra CEO. "Environmental sustainability is the goal at the heart of Kuterra’s mission, and this ranking shows we're achieving that."

The Monterey Bay Aquarium assessment examined land-based facilities currently operating in British Columbia, West Virginia and Denmark. All three — Kuterra, The Conservation Fund Freshwater Institute in Shepherdstown, W.Va.; and Atlantic Sapphire in Hvide Sande, Denmark — received the top ranking.

"The exceptional market demand for Kuterra salmon shows that consumers have been waiting for a sustainable Atlantic salmon option that's good for them and good for the environment," says Guy Dean, VP and chief sustainability officer for Albion Fisheries in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. "We are proud to be among the first in the world to offer this green ‘best choice’ seafood option to consumers."

Kuterra Land Raised Atlantic salmon first hit the market this April.