The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, one of the leaders of the New campaign that promotes the consumption of national seafood

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The ‘Choose Canadian Seafood’ Task Force, a program led by the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) and The Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) recently announced the launch of a new, national awareness campaign aimed at encouraging consumers to choose Canadian seafood more often. This project is funded via the Canadian Fish and Seafood Opportunities Fund (CFSOF).

The Smarter Meals Out of the Blue awareness campaign launches today along with a new logo and a new website (www.ChooseSeafood.ca), which features helpful tips and family-friendly recipes. The campaign also inspires Canadians to shake up their everyday meal routines with unexpected ideas, like swapping in shrimp or fish for ‘Taco Tuesdays’.

It’s smart to choose Canadian Seafood

“Only 30 per cent of seafood consumed in Canada is actually Canadian,” said Timothy Kennedy, President & CEO, CAIA. “By choosing Canadian seafood, we can enjoy a secure, sustainable, domestic food supply from our oceans that is good for you and good for the planet. It’s smart to choose Canadian Seafood,” he added.

“There are so many smart reasons to choose Canadian seafood,” said on his part Paul Lansbergen, President, FCC. “It’s an affordable, easy, healthy, sustainable and delicious choice for any meal, any day of the week.”

For them, the national seafood is a complete protein source, contains all essential amino acids for overall health, and omega-3 fatty acids for brain health. And, it’s more affordable than you think.

Production has one of the lowest carbon footprints

According to the promoters of the campaign, Canada’s seafood production is amongst the most sustainable in the world, with one of the lowest carbon footprints for proteins you can choose. Seafood is critical future food for your health and for our planet.

This campaign is noteworthy in light of how the pandemic and geopolitical events are impacting global food supply chains with disruptions and rising food prices. You can learn more about the CFSOF here. You can visit www.ChooseSeafood.ca for more information.

Smarts answers

To answer the question of ‘Why Choose Canadian Seafood?’, the website offers three ideas: “You’re supporting your health (and your family’s!), you’re supporting your lifestyle, and you’re supporting Canada. When you purchase live, fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen Canadian Seafood, you’re supporting an industry that stretches from coast to coast, touching small towns, remote Indigenous communities, and our biggest cities”.

And they add more smarts answers: “From fish harvesters on oceans, lakes, and farms to processors to people and businesses that keep the supply chain moving, when you Choose Canadian Seafood, you’re supporting a $9 billion industry and over 90,000 jobs. How good does that make you feel about putting more seafood on your menu?”

The two organizations

The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance is the national association that speaks for Canada’s seafood farmers, representing their interests in Ottawa to regulators, policymakers and political leaders. With a membership that reaches coast to coast, comprised of finfish, shellfish and aquatic plant farmers, feed companies and suppliers, as well as regional aquaculture associations, CAIA is a passionate advocate for the quality and sustainability of farmed seafood. For more information, visit: www.aquaculture.ca.

On the other hand, the Fisheries Council of Canada (FCC) is the voice of Canada’s wild capture fish and seafood industry, promoting a healthy resource and prosperous industry playing a vital role in the Canadian economy. Our members include small, medium and larger-sized companies along with Indigenous enterprises that harvest and process fish from Canada’s three oceans. For more information, visit: www.fisheries council.ca.