Key Area #1: Maintain a pristine quality marine environment

Annual sampling of our ocean floor.

We adhere to an annual chemical analysis of our ocean floor samples. From these results each farm receives an environmental rating that leads to a performance-based issuing of approvals to operate, before fish are stocked.

We have a 3-bay management system of crop rotation and fallowing.

Our ocean sites are grouped in a 3-bay management system with each area designated for a particular age of fish. The first area is set aside specifically for smolts, or young salmon; the second for market-ready fish that are in their second year of growth; and the third area will be fallowed or kept out of production to let the ocean floor rest between crops - protecting the health of the fish and of the environment.

Our ocean sites are carefully located in deep waters with good tidal movement.

We provide a clean, healthy and natural environment for our fish and for other species that live in the area. All Canadian aquaculture sites undergo a rigorous environmental review under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act while US sites are similarly governed under the Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

We stock our farms at low average densities.

We stock about 18 kilograms of fish for every 1000 kilograms of water. This means that our salmon only occupy about 3% of the volume of the ocean pens allowing them to swim freely in their natural environment.

How we farm in pristine, yet demanding ocean conditions

Environmental challenges have forced us to be innovative and to adapt to farming in high energy, offshore areas. Farm managers are now able to use technology to "read and react" to ocean conditions and environmental circumstances when determining a feeding system. All sites employ underwater cameras and many use automated computerized feed systems.

We raise only native species on our farms.

Our genuine Atlantic salmon come from native fish that have been swimming in North Atlantic waters in the United States and Canada for hundreds of thousands of years. Because they are bred from native stocks, they have the natural characteristics required to flourish in our ocean farms.

Our fish grow in a natural cycle with no added growth hormones. It takes up to two years for our ocean-raised salmon to grow from young smolts to a 10-pound market-ready fish.

Key Area #2: We use feed made from sustainable sources.

Using less fish in the feed reduces the impact on the ocean resources. Our goal is to reduce the impact of fish farming on wild fish stocks by reducing the amount of wild fish products in our feed: We currently use less than 20% fish products in our feed, which compares to about 50% fish products that were used just ten years ago. This was achieved partly through the substitution of fish ingredients with vegetable proteins and goes a long way towards the sustainable production of fish while protecting the wild fisheries and the global eco-system.

We optimize feeding efficiency by using cameras and underwater monitoring systems to control feeding. These systems ensure that fish are well fed while at the same time minimizing waste and avoiding accumulation of organic materials on the ocean floor under the farm.

Key Area #3: Reduce energy usage and our carbon footprint.

We continuously look for ways to reduce our energy use and find alternative sources. Our integrated business model leaves a much smaller carbon footprint than many competing food production systems. Where possible, we source local raw materials and we serve local and regional markets that are within one or two shipping days. We move our products using fuel-efficient trucks with a two-way transport system to avoid empty loads.

Key Area #4: Reduce Water Use.

We have invested in sophisticated water recycling and filtering systems at our freshwater hatcheries. These recirculation facilities use one tenth of the water that is used by conventional flow-through operations.

Cooke Aquaculture and its subsidiary companies have created a state of the art cold chain management system that allows for a drastic reduction of ice use within our company. We strictly control the temperature of the harvest-to-delivery process so that fish are kept just above freezing from processing to delivery. This means that our Atlantic Salmon, trout and cod stay fresh longer while we are able to reduce our reliance on shipping fish in ice-loaded boxes and our overall water consumption.

In addition, we are investing in a new-generation shipping box that will be made of 100% recyclable cardboard material and will work well with our cold chain management system.

Key Area #5: Reduce packaging and eliminate waste.

Cooke Aquaculture and its subsidiaries have taken many steps toward reducing waste in every aspect of its operations from freshwater through to processing. These steps include:

• Using as many large one-ton feedbags on our saltwater sites as possible to minimize reliance on the smaller plastic bags
• Reducing the speed on all of our vessels to conserve fuel
• Recycling the feedbags, old nets and old rope as well as used plastic
• Investing in a new-generation shipping box that will be made of 100% recyclable cardboard material
• Investing in a new 100% recyclable plastic tray pack
• Introducing company-wide policies to eliminate unnecessary waste such as Styrofoam in our lunchrooms and unnecessary printing as well as the separation of all garbage into recyclable / non-recyclable refuse