CANADA
September 2012
In This Issue Biosecurity—How are we doing?. . . . . . . . . . 1 Target Progress. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Smile-inducing Audit Moments . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Coastal Roots and Family ties Combination Leads way to Aquaculture . . . . 3 Friend of Surge Narrows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Glen’s BrainSafe Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Back to School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Pitchin’ In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Brad ‘the Biologist’ in da’ (nature) house!. . . . 5 Salmon Kings - Thanks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Thanks - Jannie & Jacob Koomen. . . . . . . . . . 5 Come out to LAST our Salmon Barbeque: Nunn’s Creek Park, Campbell River. . . . . . . . . 6 OrcaFest Salmon BBQ Helps out local Food Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Paddling it Forward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Did you Know? Charlie Chaplin once won third prize in a Charlie Chaplin look-alike contest.
Trivia time! That “wastically wabbit” named Bugs Bunny had a different name when he first appeared in 1935. What was it? Answer on Page 4
Comments about this Newsletter?
Please email comments, articles and ideas to Ian Roberts, Communications Manager at ian.roberts@marineharvest.com
Wharfside Biosecurity—How are we doing? The recent diagnosis of infectious hematopoietic necrosis (IHN) on three salmon farms in British Columbia has resulted in all areas of production By Dr. Diane Morrison and operations Fish Health and Food Safety Director having a harder look at their biosecurity practices. It shouldn’t be this way; biosecurity needs to be an everyday priority for everyone. By the time an infectious disease is discovered it’s usually too late to prevent spread if your procedures have not been up to standard. Since 2010 we have developed Saltwater (SW), Freshwater (FW) and most recently Warehouse and Contractor Biosecurity manuals. These manuals cover the basic principles of biosecurity and the mandatory standards which must be achieved, referencing the specific Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Marine Harvest Canada (MHC) has over 50 SOP’s involving biosecurity. Using the mandatory standards as our guide we have also developed a biosecurity auditing program. The goal of the program is to have each SW production site receive three audits per cycle (pre-stocking, grow-out and pre-harvest), and each FW facility, warehouse and vessel to receive at least one audit annually. Audit results have been improving since 2010, but we’re not perfect yet.
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After the first diagnosis of IHN in May 2012, representatives from MHC, Mainstream Canada and Grieg Seafood met to discuss biosecurity risks. This group of Fish Health, Operation and Production staff identified major concerns with net lofts and compost facilities. Together with BC Salmon Farmers Association representative David Minato, they were able to work with the facilities to address our concerns. Biosecurity is also receiving some attention from MHNorway. A major project on biosecurity and improving survival is just being finalized. MH Technical Services and MHNorway fish health and production staff worked together to identify and quantify risk factors for infectious disease introduction, disease spread and optimizing rearing conditions. It is encouraging to see that many of the concerns and risk factors are common to ours. The list ranges from the standard biosecurity focused - fallow periods, single years class, siting, robust smolts, closed well boats transport, effluent treatment, broodstock screening, cleaning and disinfection of FW facilities and equipment, daily mortality removal; to more production focused items such as – shorten grow-out cycle, defining the ‘sweet spot’ of rearing, minimize/eliminate handling and SW moves, eliminate harvest waiting cages (within five years), and optimal siting. As a company I see Marine Harvest leading the way on improving our biosecurity standards and procedures and as a result improving our survival and production parameters.
Target Progress By Chris Leighton, Finance Director
In the June issue of Wharfside we introduced the four targets that will show us our progress towards achieving success in each of our core business areas. The targets are designed so that everyone at Marine Harvest Canada can quickly see how we are performing and how their contributions are helping us achieve our objectives on a quarter by quarter basis.
area: (i) Full Cost Per KG (PROFIT), (ii) Safety Index (PEOPLE), (iii) % Sterling (PRODUCT), and (iv) EFCR (PLANET). We can see from the red bars that we still have lots of scope for improvement. Every action we take at work influences these targets so let’s keep focused doing a great job in our own areas and watch the red bars shift towards the blue measures over the coming months.
Below are the results as of the end of June for the four targets. The blue bars define our ambitious but achievable goals in each
I can hardly wait to see the results in September graphs!
The Full Cost per KG consists of RFS (Released from Stock – cost of fish harvested), Processing, Harvesting, Sales, G&A, and OH costs. To date in 2012 we have achieved costs better than our target and mainly results from lower RFS costs.
The Safety Index measures medical treatments, restricted work and lost time accidents. To date in 2012 our results have been worse than target.
Smile-inducing Audit Moments By Paula Galloway, Certification Manager
Let’s face it, audits should never be described as fun. But as we have moved through our 2012 audits and despite long days of feeding, net-cleaning and general maintenance and husbandry, site staff have taken ownership to ensure Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) requirements are met. And the competitive nature of our site staff to do well during their audit as well as the pride they take in their site has shone through loud and clear. This striving for perfection has a downside – it can make audits even more stressful. And yet, in spite of those transitory moments when the correct document is anxiously searched for, it is difficult to not be impressed by and to smile at audit highlights thus far: What is it like to switch site housing and have an audit in the same week? Can’t be easy, but we had one site in the second audit group which did just that and the staff did a great job. A perfect example that audits don’t stop the work involved in looking after our fish and maintaining a site – including re-
The % Sterling target measures how much of our product qualifies as Sterling (premium quality). To date in 2012 we have not achieved our target.
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The EFCR (economical feed conversion ratio) target measures how much feed is consumed for the growth we achieve in our fish. To date in 2012 we have not achieved our target.
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Continued on page 3 >>
Coastal Roots and Family ties Combination Leads way to Aquaculture Quadra Island, easily relates to. She’s held the Manager position for almost a year, when she advanced from two years as Assistant Manager at Thurlow.
Jeanine Sumner, Manager at Cyrus Rocks By Gina Forsyth
For some, experiences in our teens stay with us and help mold and direct our future career aspirations. This scenario is one that Jeanine Sumner, Manager at Cyrus Rocks in Okisollo Channel on the north-east end of
Born in Campbell River and raised on Quadra Island with her younger brother and older sister, Jeanine held summer jobs grading fish and assisting with other jobs in the Broughton, where her aunt, Jeanine Siemens, was working for what is now Mainstream Canada. These opportunities led the younger Jeanine to realize aquaculture was the path she wanted to follow. “I really enjoyed the environment,” she said, adding that she’s always spent a lot of time on the water. “The nearness of the water is huge for me,” Jeanine enthused.
The Campbell River resident also appreciates the opening aquaculture provides to branch into specialized areas based on personal interests. “I’ve also worked in fish health for other companies, assisting the veterinarians. I enjoyed the hands-on aspects of that,” Jeanine explained. She decided after four years of fish health, that the production side of the industry was where she wanted to continue her career. Photography has been an avid interest as long as Jeanine can remember. She plays baseball and volleyball, which she also coaches. “I enjoy working with the kids and seeing their skills improve, along with their personal development as individuals”.
Continued from page 2 “Smile-inducing Audit Moments”
mooring and then moving all personal, household and production items from one house to another! Please audit me! During our second group of audits, a site manager whose farm won’t be audited until spring 2013 attended another site’s audit as an observer. Despite not having to be “audit ready” for quite some time, this manager “challenged” the auditor to step off the boat and audit his site as well! Practice makes perfect. During a regularly scheduled fish escape response drill last year, staff on one site inspected nets using underwater
cameras. Several months later, they used these skills to confirm a small hole and had a dive crew on site and repairing the net within 20 minutes! As noted, this was the best of all scenarios, practicing skills during a drill that allowed the net to be quickly repaired. BAP lingo. It turns out there is a new word to describe a farm preparing for and being audited – the farm is being BAPtized! Now that’s a first! During our first audits, I tried to identify firsts for our auditor. “First time you’ve taken a float plane to do an audit?”
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“Nope.” “First time you’ve audited five sites in a week?” “Nope.” Following the last site audit, the MHC staffer enthusiastically exclaimed “Well thanks for the audit! That was great!!!” Yes, that was the first time the auditor had been so heartily thanked for doing an audit! I started off writing these moments not sure of the best way to capture and convey them to other MHC staff. As I’ve recalled these audit moments, each one has made me smile. To all the staff who have helped with travel arrangements to sites, provided supporting audit information and prepared sites and employees for audits, I offer a smile and my heartfelt thanks. Paula
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Friend of Surge Narrows The Surge Narrows Community Association (SNCA), located on Read Island, British Columbia, has benefitted from some of our retired fish pens. When local community residents expressed interest in the old pen parts that Doug Knudson (Campbell Area Production Manager) was storing at Conville
Glen’s BrainSafe Corner From “Be Aware”; Every second 33,000 bits of information enter our brain. To help us process this information effectively, our brain has set up a series of ‘rules’ determining the types of information that we pay attention to. We only pay attention to information that is:
Left to Right are: Taylor, Roger, Conroy, Oliver, Geoff, Joel, Isaac, Gary, Matt & Cole.
Point site, it was agreed that the parts could be donated as long as the recipients passed along the donation to a charitable organization of their choice. A sizable donation was made to the SNCA that will go to current SNCA projects. A win-win-win. Nice! The gang at Marine Harvest’s Middle Point Warehouse held a “back to school” lunch for three summer students - Taylor (Warehousing / Logistics), Oliver (Engineering) & Geoff (Purchasing). They all enjoyed a good lunch knowing that Mac & Cheese is soon again to be a staple in their diet!
Pitchin’ In
D angerous, I mportant, P leasurable or I nteresting Importantly, if information does not fall into one of these categories it will not capture our attention. If we perceive safety to be boring, or assume that our workspace is free from hazards, important safety related information will not capture our attention.
Marine Harvest Canada is proud to support the Campbell River Tyees Single A Mosquito Baseball Team. When the young boys were in need of equipment bags, MHC stepped in to help out.
Sooo, People Say “Glen is Dippy” I say “Thanks” 4
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Answer: Happy Rabbit
Brad‘the Biologist’ in da’ (nature) house!
The Salmon Kings would like to thank Marine Harvest for our sponsorship in league and the Positive Aquaculture Baseball Tourna ment.
Very much appreciated.
Most of us know Brad Boyce, our very own fish biologist, as a mild mannered, docile guy. But put him in front of a group of 50 kids and adults at Miracle Beach Park and he turns into a pure entertainer! The guest at the park had signed up to dissect salmon on a warm August evening at the Nature House in Miracle Beach Park. Invited for the second year, Brad ‘the biologist’ introduced salmon to the group of campers in a unique and very engaging way. After a great question and
answer period, it was time for the kids (and many eager parents) to dissect their very own salmon. Interestingly, most kids went straight for the eyeballs!
April, the park’s naturalist, was very thankful to Marine Harvest and Brad for supporting this unique learning opportunity.
Thanks! I would like to thank all of the Marine Harvest employees who supported us for the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer - 3000 riders raised 11.6 million! I also wish to thank you for your support of my 400 km ride from Kelowna to Delta in one day which was an incredible experience and couldn’t have done it without all the great support
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from the Marine Harvest office personnel who kept on telling me “you can do it!” We raised $420,000 with 96 riders for the BC Cancer Society and I am already looking forward to do it again next year. Thanks a million again, Jannie & Jacob Koomen
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Come out to our LAST Salmon Barbeque: Nunn’s Creek Park, Campbell River
OrcaFest Salmon BBQ Helps out local Food Bank
Please drop by and support the LAST barbeque of this summer season on September 9th at Campbell River’s Nunns Creek Park in support of the BC SPCA: March 17 April 14 May 26 May 30 June 23 June 30 July 1 July 14 July 27 August 18
Done! Done! Done! Done! Done! Done! Done! Done! Done! Done!
September 9
Vanier Park, Courtenay
Y.A.N.A / St Joseph’s Hospital Foundation
Spirit Square, Campbell River
John Howard Society
Port Hardy
Cancer Society - Relay for Life
Spirit Square, Campbell River
Head Injury Society
Vanier Park, Courtenay
Cancer Society - Relay for Life
Dick Murphy Park, CR
Dragon Boat Society
Robert Ostler Park, CR
BC Firefighters Burn Fund
Centennial Pool, CR
Salmon Kings Swim Society
Coastline Mazda, CR
Hospice Society
OrcaFest, Port McNeill
Harvest Food Bank
Nunn’s Creek Park, CR
SPCA - Paws for a Cause
Paddling it Forward
The Campbell River Hospital Foundation received a cheque for over $1700 from the Marine Harvest barbeque earnings at this summer’s Dragon Boat Festival in
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With the help of Roger King, Jacques Gaudet (chef extraordinaire), Karen Tobin, Juliana Miller and Pam McDermott, Marine Harvest served hundreds at the well-attended OrcaFest in Port McNeill. For a minimum $5 donation, customers received our scrumptious salmon burgers with a side of potato salad. Honourable mention goes to Dale Hiltz and Hugo Murphy for helping set up. As always the North Island crew had a blast and managed to raise $1000 for the Harvest Food Bank.
Campbell River. The Foundation will use the money for cancer related equipment at the hospital.
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