Sustainability
At Yarra Valley Caviar we pride ourselves on our sustainable growing practices and ethical fish husbandry methods. We are BAP certified and audited twice annually. This stands for Best Aquaculture Practice.
Certification is verification that producers are following best practices to deliver farmed seafood safely and responsibly. Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) is a seafood specific certification program that addresses the four key areas of sustainability—environmental, social, food safety, and animal health & welfare—at each step of the aquaculture production chain.
As well as this high level certification Yarra Valley Caviar has been implementing its own sustainable growing practices for the last 20 years. Below lists its comprehensive approach to responsible ethical Salmon farming.
Why YVC is sustainable
1. Strictly chemical free farm.
2. A completely disease free environment.
3. A naturally gravity fed river flow through farm that ensures water is only borrowed temporarily from the river then returned in a healthy acceptable state.
4. Insisting Fish are given plenty of space to move around freely and have a current to swim against.
5. Fish are milked once per year for their roe and then returned to the ponds to spawn again the following year.
6. Refusing to force feed fish, instead following feeding programs that reflect their natural growth patterns in the wild.
7. A long lasting relationship with The Environmental Protection Agency Victoria in maintaining regular testing of inflow and outflow levels of suspended solids etc to comply with Australian standards.
8. A vertically integrated business starting with in-house fertilisation of eggs ensuring strict traceability throughout the growth of the fish.
9. Comprehensive in-house staff training in best practice fish husbandry methods to ensure the health and well being of our animals is first and foremost.
Future Plans
Hydro power is still an option and we have investigated several different models that could possibly be adopted to our farm.
Reduction in single use plastics and poly foam boxes to a more environmentally friendly alternative.
We are passionate about our farm and the riverine environment that allows us to do what we do. Our commitment to sustainability will always be a priority.