Chinook Salmon
Creative Salmon Company
As of May 2005, Country Lane Farms is marketing Fresh Chinook Salmon from Creative Salmon Company Ltd. in Tofino, BC. www.creativesalmon.com In order to ensure our customers that this is a high quality product, we have spent many hours researching this particular company as well as spending 2 full days at the actual farms, touring all their facilities and processing plant. We are convinced that they offer a superior product and that we can market this product along with our own antibiotic and hormone free, no animal by-product chicken and beef. We feel that Creative Salmon has the same philosophy as Country Lane Farms in that they provide a high quality safe product to their customers.
Creative Salmon operates in the clean cool waters of Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, BC. Clayoquot Sound was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2000 and is an area of immense natural beauty and pristine environmental conditions.
All of Creative Salmon’s farm sites are located within in the Traditional Territory of the Tla-O-Qui-Aht first Nations and the company has a long-standing relationship with the First Nations community based on honesty and trust.
Creative Salmon has a total of 6 farms, however, only 4 are in operation at any given time. Once a farm has gone through a 14 to 18 month grow out cycle and all the fish are harvested out, it is left fallow for either 2 – 4 months or 2 – 4 years. The length of the fallow period depends on results of the companies ongoing environmental monitoring. This practice greatly reduces the environmental footprint on the ocean floor.
Feeding is strictly monitored with underwater cameras. Once fish have become satiated they change their swimming behavior and the Farm Technician will stop the feeding process, minimizing feed wastage.
Creative Salmon does not use any insecticides or antibiotics on production fish. The products they offer have never been fed antibiotic and never been treated for sea lice. They are founding members of the Pacific Organic Seafood Association (www.pacificorganicseafood.com) and adhere to strict farming practices in accordance with the recognized Organic Standards.
Primary processing (gutting of the fish) is done in Tofino, which is about a half hour boat ride from the farm. Further processing (filleting/packaging) is done in Comox, which is about a 3-hour drive from Tofino. The product would then be shipped to Calgary via a one-hour plane ride. Country Lane Farms would be able to market FRESH Salmon only 2 days after primary processing!!! We have not found any other place in Calgary or area that provides this quality of product. Salmon has a fresh shelf life of 2 weeks when kept at 1 – 2 degrees C.
