A broad swath of the Chilean salmon industry is committing to reducing the industry's greenhouse gas emissions, part of a drive to meet carbon neutrality goals by 2050.
Last week, 23 companies belonging to the SalmonChile trade group signed a new clean production agreement alongside Chilean development agency Corfo's Sustainability and Climate Change body.
Ten salmon producers are signatories to the agreement, including Australis, Cermaq, Cooke Aquaculture, Yadran, Marine Farm, Blumar, Camanchaca, Multi X (formerly Multiexport), Salmones Austral and Ventisqueros.
They are joined by nine industry suppliers -- Akva, Bioled, Pharmaq, Badinotti, Garware Technical Fibers, Stim, Gripship, Sodexo and Fiordo Austral -- and feed companies Biomar, Salmofood and Skretting.
The agreement is aimed at managing the environmental impacts of the industry and improving its practices throughout the production chain, according to a Diario Financeiro report posted on SalmonChile's website.
The technical aspects of the agreement were developed by SalmonChile research arm Intesal.
Under the agreement, salmon farms and members of the production value chain will work together to measure carbon and water usage footprints, and manage and reduce energy consumption to prevent and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
Companies will designate a representative to implement the standards, while SalmonChile will develop differentiated standards for salmon producers, salmon feed producers and companies that provide services to the sector.
Climate change has advanced in an accelerated and worryingly, leading the salmon farming industry to step up sustainability efforts said Joanna Davidovich, executive director of the Chile Salmon Council, which represents AquaChile and Salmones Aysen, Norway's Mowi and Mitsubishi-owned Cermaq, accounting for around half of the country's production.
Individually companies are making progress on concrete measures such as the measurement of their carbon footprint, through indicators at level 1 of their own and level 2 indirect generation, Davidovich said, adding:
"In parallel, most already have measurements at level 3 (production chain) and they will continue to advance in this line to address the challenge we have as an industry to grow in a competitive and sustainable way.”
