Food
Sublime Salmon with Huon Aquaculture
From humble beginnings in 1986, Tasmania's Huon Aquaculture has emerged as one of the world's premier suppliers of sustainably produced salmon.
Of all the denizens of the ocean, salmon is one of the most desired by seafood lovers for its appealing pink flaky flesh, protein-rich nature and buttery, rich flavour. Because of this, demand for Tasmanian Atlantic salmon has increased dramatically over the last 10-15 years, prompting concern in some quarters about the effects of salmon farming as the industry grows to meet that demand.
One company committed to ensuring the ethical and sustainable farming of such salmon is Tasmania’s Huon Aquaculture. Responsible for the production of over 36,000 tonnes of salmon and trout in 2022 and employing over 900 people in its home state of Tasmania - for a total of 1,100 across Australia - the importance of preserving this key industry rests in large part on Huon’s credentials as a custodian of its product’s continued viability and health.
Discover Huon Aquaculture
A Huon salmon spends around two-thirds of its life on land, beginning its lifecycle in a state-of-the-art hatchery that allows the natural lifecycle and growth of the salmon to be replicated, enabling a supply of fresh, healthy fish all year round. The fish are then transferred to an onshore salmon nursery where they continue to grow to around 500-600 grams, before being transferred to sea.
All Huon’s operations are built on an abiding commitment to the highest standards of animal husbandry, environmental management and quality. “At Huon, sustainability underpins everything we do,” says Huon’s General Manager of Sustainability, Matt Whittle. “We’ve always had a big focus on the environment and innovation to do things better.”
As such, Huon has become the first salmon producer in Australia to offer customers a range of RSPCA Approved farmed Atlantic salmon, as a sign of its commitment to sustainability and fish welfare.
RSPCA Approved Manager Talulah Gaunt expounds on the importance of this salmon welfare certification.
“The RSPCA Approved Farming Scheme Standard for farmed Atlantic salmon aims to ensure salmon welfare is an integral part of every aspect of production,” says Gaunt. “Salmon need to be able to live in clean oxygen-rich water with plenty of space to swim normally, handled in a manner that avoids stress.”
Try this delicious recipe using Huon Salmon and discover the flavour difference of sustainably produced salmon.
SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY AND STEWARDSHIP
In the water, Huon’s operations show the lengths the company has gone to in this regard. Its Veterinary Health and Biosecurity Plan (VHBP) covers everything from education and training in fish husbandry through to stocking density, which at an average of 99 per cent water to one per cent fish is the lowest in the world.
It’s not simply the well-being of its fish that Huon takes seriously, but also the mitigation of the whole-of-business impacts of farming fish. “One of the exciting goals that we are working towards is to be Net Zero carbon by 2040,” says Whittle of Huon’s approach, based on the company’s sustainability Strategy, formulated in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
All these endeavours fall under the remit of Huon’s dedicated Environmental and Sustainability team, responsible for managing compliance with Tasmania’s stringent regulations. “The team also conducts environmental monitoring to demonstrate that we aren’t causing any environmental harm or significant impacts,” says Whittle.
Then there’s Huon’s partnerships with organisations and experts here and overseas, such as the Global Salmon Initiative, formed to drive real and measurable improvements in the sustainability profile of the farmed salmon industry around the world.
Given the desire for healthy, low-environmental.impact proteins in the face of increasing climate challenges, it’s sustainability efforts like those of Huon that are ensuring this delectable, versatile fish can be enjoyed around the world for generations to come.
Learn more about Huon Aquaculture’s approach to sustainability at huonsalmon.com.au