Global Salmon Initiative

We are thrilled to announce the official formation of the African Aquaculture Business Leaders Network (AABLN). AABLN unites business leaders and key stakeholders from the African aquaculture sector who are coming together to accelerate the sustainable development of the African aquaculture sector.   As big believers in using collaboration to unlock the greatest potential in a sector, we are honoured to be supporting this dynamic group in determining how collaboration can help them meet their business and sustainability goals.    Thank you to all the visionary leaders in the network and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for making this initiative possible. We look forward to the journey ahead and the opportunities to work together. https://lnkd.in/gTA2pY92   #AfricanAquaculture #Collaboration #Sustainability #BusinessLeadership #AABLN

We are pleased to share that GSI is now working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation under a 3-year grant to support the growth of sustainable aquaculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. The potential of African aquaculture to meet food security needs and provide economic opportunities is widely recognized, but the growth of sustainable production to date has been slow. The foundation has turned to GSI to assist in connecting African business leaders and help mobilize their collective capacity to overcome barriers to development and increase sustainable food production. Building on our experience on pre-competitive collaboration and uniting business leaders to generate advancements in the sustainability of aquaculture, we hope to support African business leaders in realizing the sectors potential. https://lnkd.in/gcFWGkDv

GSI 2024 Wrapped 🐟 As 2024 comes to a close, we’re highlighting some key initiatives from our members this past year to improve the sustainability of salmon farming: -World Wildlife Fund, Grieg Seafood and GSI collaborated to launch a first-of-its-kind environmental, social, governance (ESG) risk assessment tool to increase transparency of feed ingredient sourcing - GSI Associate Member Skretting Chile became the first salmon feed mill to become Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)-certified under the new ASC Feed Standard and BioMar became the first feed production facility in the UK to receive this certification - Multi X introduced innovative biodegradable packaging that breaks down within six to 20 months without the need for composting - Australis Seafoods signed an agreement with the Universidad Santo Tomás to offer internships, bridging the gap between academic learning and practical application - Cermaq Global received a Special Recognition Award from Compassion in World Farming for humane stunning methods across its operations in Norway, Chile, and Canada Looking ahead to 2025, our focus remains on strengthening collaboration, fostering innovation, and driving industry-wide improvements in the sustainability of farmed salmon. #Sustainability #Aquaculture

Boost your health with oily fish! 🐟 New research from Flinders University highlights the power of a diet rich in oily fish, such as farmed salmon, in protecting against gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and rheumatoid arthritis.   "A healthy diet is one of the simplest and most effective ways to enhance overall health and reduce the risk of diseases, including cancers," explains study researcher Dr. Melaku.   Learn more about this study and how your diet can make a difference.   #HealthyLiving #NutritionMatters #OilyFish https://lnkd.in/d4zpcUAm

Looking for a way to entertain children this holiday season while also teaching them about sustainable food systems? This FAO World Food Day activity book is packed with visually engaging and digestible information. It highlights the global challenges facing our food systems and the role we can all play in finding solutions. Check it out: https://lnkd.in/ep5YMB5U

Want to learn more about what happens on a salmon farm? Alongside GSI’s Fish Health and Welfare Task Force, we recently had the opportunity to visit Bakkafrost Scotland’s salmon farm in the beautiful surroundings of Loch Fyne to see how the team is using innovative tools to improve the sustainability of their operations. The team walked us through their day-to-day activities including: - Digitalization of feeding to minimize waste - Video monitoring of fish behavior - Conducting consistent water quality checks - Performing regular fish health checks The visit underscored how practices are continuously improving to meet the growing demand for salmon while safeguarding the health of the fish and minimizing environmental impacts. Stay tuned for our next blog post where we’ll share more insights on how GSI members are farming salmon that’s raised to be better for people and planet - along with behind-the-scenes photos from the visit of course! #salmonfarming #gsi #raisedtobebetter

GSI members are dedicated to fostering social and economic development in the communities where we live and work. One example of this commitment is the involvement of Salmones Austral, AquaChile, Multi X, and Blumar in the newly established Regional Network for Learning in Los Lagos. The network brings together the private and public sectors, civil society, and educational institutions with a shared goal – improving the education of children in Los Lagos. Through collaboration, the network aims to reduce the educational gap in the region by providing youth with the opportunities and resources they need to succeed. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gVSZCS_Z

As we envision the future of food production, one of the questions we repeatedly face as farmers is: how can we produce more to feed a growing population, while reducing our environmental footprint? Innovation is essential to meeting this goal. At GSI, we leverage collaboration to accelerate and spread innovative solutions. Here, Nina Willumsen Grieg from GSI Member Grieg Seafood shares her insights on how innovation is driving growth in the aquaculture sector. #Innovation #Aquaculture 

There is a lot of talk on social media about the evils of x, y, and z foods. It is particularly interesting to see how negative so much of the information on aquaculture on social media is. It is clear that different species, (fresh, marine, and brackish water) as well as aquaculture production models, have very different impacts. At a global level, while some forms of aquaculture have been around for a few thousand years, most farmed species, production systems and locations are new. Most aquaculture production, like that of tilapia, happens in freshwater ponds or lakes. None of this is to imply that aquaculture is without impacts, but the learning curves have been steeper than in other sectors, with players learning much more quickly and from each other than in other industries. At the end of the day, aquaculture has learned much more quickly than either agriculture or wild-caught fisheries. In fact, aquaculture provides more seafood than wild-caught seafood, and growth in seafood has come entirely from aquaculture. Furthermore, without aquaculture, the lack of fisheries management over time would have crashed even more global fisheries than it has to date. Think about it.

🔬 New research published in the International Journal of Cancer indicates that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, commonly found in oily fish such as farmed salmon, may help reduce the risk of various cancers. The decade-long study with 250,000 participants in the UK, found a significant association between higher levels of these essential fatty acids and a reduced risk of up to 19 different types of cancer. These findings underscore the well-documented cardiovascular and mental health benefits of omega-3 and omega-6 and their potential role in cancer prevention. Full study available at: https://lnkd.in/gVkQKBwZ