In the ocean, algae produce omega-3s. The algae are consumed by small animals, which are then consumed by small fish. In this way, the omega-3s make their way up the food chain all the way to the feeder fish on which the salmon feed. At Verlasso, we have taken the genetic omega-3-producing capability of the algae and transferred it to yeast. This process is a genetic modification and we call the yeast a genetically modified microbe.

The process for growing the yeast microbes is a lot like the process of brewing beer. Our yeast is grown in stainless steel tanks and is fermented to produce a mixture rich in omega-3-abundant yeast. The result is that our yeast makes the omega-3s exactly as the algae do. To make the feed for our salmon, we then mix other ingredients such as proteins, oils and vitamins with the yeast (the yeast is less than 10% of the diet). With this menu, we ensure that our salmon continue to get the omega-3 oils that are crucial for them (and good for us). At the same time, we are dramatically reducing our dependency on wild feeder fish – an essential part of the ocean’s natural food chain that are currently being harvested at the limits of their sustainability (according to The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).

It’s important to know that Verlasso’s use of omega-3-producing yeast does not make our salmon genetically modified. The DNA of Verlasso salmon has not been altered in any way; our fish have the same genes as their ancestors. In fact, we do not favor the use of genetically modified salmon in aquaculture.

At Verlasso, our goal is to not only raise the best farmed salmon, but also to be the best salmon farmers in the world. We are proud of the significant progress we’ve made in reducing the quantity of fish needed for salmon farming, as well as other steps we’ve taken to balance our needs with the needs of the natural environment.

You can read a complete blog post about our approach at http://bit.ly/14V5YpZ. Please take a look and let us know if you have any questions.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Scott Nichols
Director, Verlasso Salmon

P.S. Here’s the link to the story that Boldski was referencing: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/03/11/verlasso-salmon-farming?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+greenbuzz+%28GreenBiz+Latest+News%29