A sea farmer with passion for the ocean
At Grieg Seafood NL our commitment is to sustainability and the protection of the ocean ecosystem. Much like a traditional fishery our operations and longevity depend on a healthy ocean. We require clean waters to produce the highest quality fish for a growing global market. We consider ourselves more than simply a business, but a proud part of the Burin Peninsula community, fully pledged to the continued health and prosperity of our environment.
For many at Grieg NL preserving the oceans is more than just business, but a personal commitment to the place we were born and raised. Perhaps no one exemplifies that more than Candice Way, Production Director of Land and Sea and born Newfoundlander. With over 25 years of aquaculture experience she understands the importance of caring for the environment.
“Our company values and ethics are not the only factors in the protection of Newfoundland waters. Aquaculture is one of the most highly regulated industry sectors in Canada. As a growing industry, it’s important to ensure that we develop responsibly and sustainably. Not only does this protect the environment, but it also permits the growth of long-term job stability for the surrounding areas.”
As a growing industry, it’s important to ensure that we develop responsibly and sustainably. Not only does this protect the environment, but it also permits the growth of long-term job stability for the surrounding areas.
Regulations on aquaculture are rigorous, and come from the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. Federal regulations include those enforced by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, while provincial regulators include the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources and Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment. “We also conducted public consultations to get input from local communities. It’s vital to us that we work together with the local community and value the participation of all those who attended”.
In November 2017 Grieg NL voluntarily committed to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which evaluated the potential effects of aquaculture in the Placentia Bay area. Candice has been instrumental in developing our EIS, working closely with LGL Limited Environmental Research Associates. The EIS was completed and approved by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment (now the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Municipalities) in September 2018. This approval came with conditions of release, which included the development of Environmental Protection Plans (EPP) and Environmental Effects Monitoring Plans (EEMP).
“The EPPs cover the construction and operations phases for both land and marine project components. They are very detailed in scope and provide a functional management framework to ensure regulatory compliance. They help us to identify opportunities for continuous improvement in environmental performance.
The EEMPs are the methods we will use to ensure our operations are not having deleterious effects on the environment and provide a framework for early intervention and mitigation. They address key environmental concerns, including interactions between our farmed Atlantic Salmon and Lumpfish (cleaner fish) strains with wild populations of these species.”
The Environmental Protection Plans help us to identify opportunities for continuous improvement in environmental performance.
Grieg Seafood NL benefits from decades of experience and expertise from our Norwegian counterparts at Grieg Seafood AS. “The benefit of bringing aquaculture to a new area is that we were able to start from the ground up, implementing cutting-edge technologies and production methods. With the completion of the EIS and our compliance with legislation we are starting off on the right foot. The industry has grown so much in the past decade, and we benefit greatly from this knowledge. When you start off right you lay the foundations for continued best practices. By providing enforcement measures it gives power to our commitment to maintaining the environment.”