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UK freshwater trout has been rated 'Best Choice' by the Marine Conservation Society who promote trout as a sustainable alternative to salmon. Furthermore, the Sustainable Restaurant Association has showcased ChalkStream® trout as one of the most sustainable fish options for chefs. 

The Water

Farms supplying ChalkStream® are fully segregated systems, which minimises the impact on the unique chalk stream environments of the main rivers.  The outflow from the farms pass through specially designed settling channels to remove waste and ensure the water returns to the river in the same class A rated condition. The Test and Itchen Rivers are two of the most highly monitored rivers in the UK and the farm outflows are subject to a constant testing regime by the Environment Agency to ensure water quality.  In contrast to sea cage and loch reared fish, the farms supplying ChalkStream® have a proven low impact on the surrounding water environment.

The Feed

Fish are the most efficient converters of food of any farmed animal, and trout is the most efficient of all farmed fish. Coupled with good farming practises and high quality feeds, the farms supplying ChalkStream® achieve extremely good feed conversion rates.  This minimises the amount of feed used, the amount of feed wasted and the amount of fish waste created.

In partnership with their feed supplier the marine caught content in the diet has been reduced by over 60% in the last 10 years, and is sourced from sustainable fisheries certified to IFFO RS.  It now takes 600kg of marine caught content to produce 1 Tonne of ChalkStream® trout, so the farms are net producers of fish.  Good aquaculture is by far the most resource efficient way to produce fish protein.  Furthermore, eating trout is a far more efficient way of taking in Omega 3, yet 35-40% of the world’s supply of fish oil goes into pills and capsules.

Best Practise Farming

GLOBALG.A.P. Aquaculture sets the worldwide standard for good practices at every stage of production.

It has strict criteria for environmental and ecological care, animal welfare and food safety among others.

QTUK is the leading UK quality assurance scheme focussing on product quality, food safety, full traceability from hatchery to processor, environmental best practice and fish welfare

Packaging

ChalkStream® has a policy of using sustainable packaging, and reducing the use of packaging, wherever possible.  

Deliveries to our online customers come in a fully insulated cardboard box.  Both the box and the insulated lining (macerated paper filling) are made from 100% recycled material, and can be added to standard household recycling.  Some products will be dispatched using fully compostable wool insulation lining.

Where possible, deliveries to wholesalers are made in reusable bins or trays.  Please make sure you recycle ChalkStream® packaging, where possible, including the gill tags.

Protecting the Habitat

The farms are custodians of the rivers and migratory fish, and work in association a number of conservation organisations including The Test and Itchen Association to help support and protect the chalk stream environment.

The farms also go to great lengths to keep wild species safe, with fine screens preventing migratory fish from leaving the main river, and netting to exclude predatory birds.