Ontario-farmed rainbow recommended by Ocean Wise

Ocean Wise has recommended Ontario-farmed rainbow trout as a sustainable seafood choice.

The Vancouver-based conservation program endorses all rainbow and steelhead trout grown in floating net-pens and flow-through systems in Ontario based on their low environmental impact.

Before making this recommendation specific to Ontario producers, Ocean Wise reviewed data pertaining to water quality, habitat impacts, antimicrobial usage, interactions with wild fish, feed ingredients, and escape risk. The review included consultations with third-party scientists with expertise in ecology, fisheries science and aquaculture.

With its roots at the Vancouver Aquarium, Ocean Wise has grown to become a global conservation organization focused on protecting the world’s oceans. Through research and education, they tackle overfishing, climate change, pollution, urban development, and other challenges facing aquatic environments.

Ontarians have been farming rainbow trout in land-based facilities since the 1950s and in floating net-pens since 1982. Last year, farmers grew more than 100 million meals of sustainable rainbow trout in Ontario waters, which is nearly double from five years ago.