Five major farmed-salmon companies and the British Columbia Salmon Farmers Association (BCSFA) are stepping up their efforts to dispel misinformation about farmed salmon, launching a marketing campaign this week featuring a new website and TV and print advertisements.
The website, www.bcsalmonfacts.ca, is peppered with a variety of facts comprising three categories — nutrition, environment and economy. Each fact features a short YouTube clip explaining the fact in detail. Among the facts is: “We don’t dye farmed salmon. The color comes from an important ingredient in their food.”
The marketing campaign includes a one-minute TV spot, available on YouTube, encouraging viewers not to believe everything they hear about farmed salmon. The spot is narrated by ecologist Sharon Dedominicis, who says, “Anybody that eats fish will tell you that a fresh product is superior to a frozen product, in terms of taste, appearance, coloration, texture [and] cookability. Salmon farming can provide that to consumers year-round.”
Like the website, the text-heavy print ad features a variety of facts. Among the facts is: “Farmed salmon and wild salmon are different colors because they are different species of fish.”
Farmed salmon’s healthful benefits, particularly it’s high heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids, is a reoccurring theme throughout the website and TV and print ads.
“Salmon farmers have worked very hard to address concerns raised about salmon farming and have been successful in doing so, but despite this many myths remain,” said Mary Ellen Walling, BCSFA executive director.
The salmon farmers and fish-feed producers behind the campaign are Marine Harvest Canada, Mainstream Canada, Grieg Seafood, Ewos and Skretting; all are BCSFA members.
