Atlantic salmon

The BAP salmon standard requires feed used in salmon aquaculture to be traceable and requirements are in place for responsible ingredient sourcing. Salmon is a net consumer of protein.Atlantic salmon are a carnivorous species and have a requirement for a high protein diet, relying on commercial feeds within aquaculture production. Historically, the most important ingredients in salmon feed have been fishmeal and fish oil, now vegetable matter makes up the majority of the feed formula. GSA BAP certification requires feed ingredients to be responsibly sourced. For marine ingredients, at least 50% must be from certified sources, with the ultimate goal that all fishmeal and fish oil used in feed is certified. All palm oil used is certified by the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), and at least 50% of soy inputs come from certified sources such as ProTerra, Roundtable for Responsible Soy (RTRS) or Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) or equivalent.Under the BAP Salmon Farm standard, the dependency of wild caught fish used in fish meal and fish oil (known as the Feed Fish Dependency Ratio, FFDR) permits the use of more fish protein in the diets of farmed salmon, than the fish produce. Therefore, BAP certified salmon can be a net consumer rather than a net producer. Producers can improve their FFDR by using a greater percentage of fishmeal and fish oil from trimmings and offal, using other sources of meal and oil (e.g., vegetables) and improving their feeding efficiency.

Salmon farming in open water net pens can have impacts on the environment. However, mitigation measures are in place within the BAP Salmon Farm standard to address many of those environmental impacts.Habitat alteration is minimal in the application of open water net pens and does not impact ecosystem functionality. Juveniles used in salmon aquaculture come from hatcheries, however, wild-caught cleaner fish species are used to biologically control sea lice. Lumpfish and wrasse are used as cleaner fish but the stock status for both species is unknown, and currently fishery management measures are primarily voluntary. Therefore, the impact on the stocks of these species is unknown.BAP-certified salmon farms apply good farming practices reducing the need for chemical and medicinal inputs. Although, farms do use medicines and products containing chemicals such as disinfectants are used to ensure the health and welfare of the fish, and to maintain farm infrastructure, and equipment (e.g., pens and boats). Chemicals and medical treatments are not promoted over best management practices, which minimizes risk to the environment, but when application is necessary, they will be used. Chemicals and medical treatments are monitored and/or limited and must meet the mandatory regulatory framework of the production country.Biosecurity measures set out in the BAP Salmon Farm Standard limit disease outbreaks and escapes. Nonetheless, parasitic and pathogenic burdens in farmed BAP salmon can occur, but management practices are in place to lesson these burdens. Salmon farms are known to increase the number of salmon sea lice parasites in the surrounding environment which can impact on wild populations. Pathogenic disease outbreaks also occur but they are not thought to threaten regional level operations. Due to the nature of open net pens there is a risk of farmed salmon escaping with evidence of negative ecological effects on local wild populations, such as genetic introgression.The grey and common seal are the main documented predators of farmed salmon. Under the BAP program humane, non-lethal predator control is encouraged, although permitted in some countries. Lethal control of seals on aquaculture farms has been documented in some countries, although lethal measures have not significantly affected either one of the predatory species population status.

The BAP Standard ensures that practices and guidelines are in place to address the welfare needs of farmed salmon, and ensures that humane slaughter takes place.BAP-certificated salmon farms ensures that practices and guidelines are in place to address the welfare needs of animals within aquaculture. Health and welfare standards are referenced throughout the standard. Specific requirements address health and welfare of aquaculture animals, and humane slaughter, where techniques must render fish immediately unconscious thus insensible to pain.

BAP farmed salmon are well managed and management is thought to be fully effective.The independent BAP Salmon Farm Standard addresses many issues of environmental concern and ensures compliance. There is no requirement for certified farms to be subject to any strategic environmental planning. However, production countries supplying the UK marketplace with BAP-certified salmon incorporate strategic environmental planning at a country level. These countries include Scotland and Norway.Aquaculture policy in the UK is a devolved matter, with the separate administrations of Wales, England, Northern Ireland and Scotland responsible for its collective oversight. Aquaculture production in Scotland is covered in the 2015 National Marine Plan. This plan covers the management of both Scottish inshore waters (out to 12 nautical miles) and offshore waters (12 to 200 nautical miles). Scotland s River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) also sets out a range of actions to address water quality, physical condition, water flows and levels, the migration of wild fish and invasive nonnative species. The RBMP is produced every six years by SEPA on behalf of the Scottish Government.In Norway, management of marine areas is broken down into three areas: the Barents Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the North Sea, that combined cover the entire Norwegian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Marine spatial plans have been developed for these three regions and these include the impact of aquaculture on the marine ecosystem. They also identify valuable and vulnerable areas that require special management measures.The BAP Salmon Farm standard addresses environmental impacts of salmon aquaculture, which is further supported by country level regulations.The Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification programme comprises a suite of standards for farms, hatcheries, feed mills and processing plants addressing environmental and social issues, food safety and animal welfare. Benchmarked to GSSI and GFSI and with star ratings (1- 4), it uses independent audits to provide assurance along the supply chain.