Measuring Sustainability

How do we measure sustainability?

Measuring sustainability is important to every industry, not just to aquaculture. As a result, an internationally recognized reporting framework has been developed that is now being used by industries around the world to report on sustainability progress.

 

This framework, developed by the Global Reporting Initiative, includes the following elements:

• continuing stakeholder engagement
• identification of appropriate performance indicators
• data collection
• ongoing monitoring

Demonstrating sustainability

It’s also important to be able to demonstrate that aquaculture operations are being conducted in a sustainable manner. One way of doing this is through certification by an independent third-party to verify compliance against an independently established standard. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has determined that a good certification standard needs to have four elements:

• Food safety
• Animal health and welfare
• Environmental integrity
• Socio-economic aspects

Learn more about how Fisheries and Oceans Canada is working with industry in

• Sustainability Reporting
• Certification