Environment
The Akaroa Harbour is our back yard.
We swim here, we fish here, we work here.
It’s our job to help protect it.
A+:
Akaroa Salmon is an active guardian of the local waterways under the industry’s A+ programme which sets world-leading sustainability standards across a range of environmental, community and social criteria, and measures our performance against those standards. See our certificate
Rated "Green" by Seafood Watch:
Monterey Bay Aquariums globally respected consumer guide Seafood Watch has rated New Zealands farmed King Salmon, including Akaroa Salmon, as "Green", meaning we are recognised among the world's most sustainable. Seafood Watch is an independent conservation organisation and the authoritative consumer guide on sustainable seafood in North America. Click here for the full report.
BMP
Akaroa Salmon voluntarily subscribes to the environmental standards of the Best Management Practices guidelines, established for salmon farming in the Marlborough Sounds by an expert working group consisting of local council, science providers, community representatives, the Ministry for Primary Industry, and international experts. View Additional Information Here
Seafloor
In more than 30 years of farming, the seafloor underneath our farms is still in good shape. We regularly monitor and report on our seafloor environment In 2017 we commissioned scientists from the Cawthron Institute to help build this monitoring plan. View Additional Information Here
Note : we do not use anti-fouling chemicals on our nets - instead we clean our nets daily using an underwater robot that uses air bubbles to remove algae and seaweed to ensure good water flow through the nets. This also ensures the health of our surrounding seafloor without any chemical residues.
Feeding our fish
The fish oil and meal used in our feed pellets comes from sustainably managed anchovy fishery and by-products from other sustainable fisheries. We now use a special farmed algae from Biomar to provide the Omega 3 that our salmon require in their diet, and this significantly reduces our use of wild caught fish in the feed.
Our fish thrive on our high quality proprietary feed which contains a carefully formulated blend of protein rich ingredients, vitamins, minerals and oils. The diet is aligned with our values of providing a natural salmon diet which meets our environmental principles. All feed used is certified safe, sustainable, and GM free. This also enables our fish to be certified as Halal.
How we feed our salmon is very important to us. Each pen of salmon is hand fed by our dedicated farmers every day. It is an opportunity for us to closely observe our stock and ensure they are being well cared for as they grow through the changing seasons. There are a number of variables to consider when feeding salmon, as each can influence their appetite. These variables can include weather, tidal flow, and water temperature. Our well trained staff ensure the daily feeding regime is adapted to these changing dietary requirements.
Each of our feed bags is compressed ( using an old wool press ) and then sent to a local specialist recycler - Plastek.
Recycling your Polystyrene Boxes
Our polystyrene boxes are 98% fresh air and 100% recyclable.
When recycling the boxes please make sure they are clean polystyrene: No dirt, food waste or residue, no stickers or tape.
If you are a Canterbury local, you can recycle your clean polystyrene boxes at Mitre 10 MEGA Papanui, Mitre 10 MEGA Hornby, and Mitre 10 MEGA Ferrymead - free of charge!
If you can't make it to one of the above stores or if you're located anywhere else in NZ, use the links below to find a recycler near you:
https://www.hmp.co.nz/a-recycler-in-your-area
https://expolearth.co.nz/recycling/expol-household-polystyrene-recycling/
We recommend phoning ahead of visiting a recycler listed in the above links to ensure they are accepting polystyrene boxes at that time.
Unfortunately due to our MPI regulations and Risk Management Programme, Akaroa Salmon are unable to accept used polystyrene boxes back.