Grieg Seafood chooses lower-risk approach

Grant Warkentin
February 16, 2010
Campbell River Mirror

It’s risky for Grieg Seafood to have all its farmed salmon in Esperanza Inlet on the same schedule.

If an environmental disaster hits the inlet, and all fish are at the same stage in their growth, the risk of losing a lot of fish – and money – is high.

Having fish ready for market all at the same time can be a financial risk, too, if there’s a drop in demand. But it’s a lower risk than maintaining the status quo.

Currently, the farms hold fish in different stages of growth, which minimizes the risk of natural events harming all the fish at once. But there are other problems to deal with, said Mia Parker, manager of regulatory affairs for Grieg Seafood BC.

Grieg’s Esperanza Inlet farms on Vancouver Island’s West Coast are sometimes challenging to work with, she explained. For example, every year, farmers have to deal with low oxygen levels in the ocean caused by weather and natural conditions. Low oxygen levels slow fish growth and can be hard on larger fish.

It’s also getting more difficult to juggle feeding and sea lice treatment schedules to minimize any potential impacts on wild salmon, she said.

Now, the company has decided it’s better to have all farms in the area on the same schedule to avoid those issues

Read full story in the Campbell River Mirror

Read related stories: Courier Islander; February 12, 2010, "Sea lice issues cause concern"