Target Marine. Proudly Canadian.

Northern Divine Caviar is crafted by Target Marine Hatcheries, Canada’s only producer of farmed white sturgeon and your natural choice for high quality, eco-friendly food products.

Target Marine is located on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Canada. We’ve been in business since 1994, and our land based farm is situated along the wooded shores of Porpoise Bay in Sechelt, British Columbia. Once focused on producing coho salmon smolts, we’re now the only producer of white sturgeon in Canada.

Over fishing has led to the collapse of fisheries that once supplied most of the world’s caviar. Looking to diversify our operations, we began rearing our first generation of white sturgeon in 2000. Some of those fish are now ready for harvest, as we supply the growing market with a healthy, eco-friendly product that is helping ease the mounting pressure off wild stocks of sturgeon.

Ocean Wise Sustainable

Our farmed sturgeon has been labeled as sustainable seafood by Ocean Wise. While there is not yet a certification standard for organic seafood in Canada, our sturgeon harvested for meat have been cultured according to the draft Canadian Organic Aquaculture Standards. These standards should be approved some time in 2011.

Naturally Committed

We’re committed to preserving our environment while helping meet the world’s growing demand for food. Our practices don’t deplete wild populations, pollute local waters or harm sensitive habitats.

Our fish are reared in large tanks supplied with clean fresh water, and waste recovered from tanks goes to a local compost. Our staff also use the compost for their vegetable gardens.

Our operation covers about two hectares (five acres) of a 24-hectare (60-acre) parcel of land on the Sunshine Coast. Water is drawn from a small creek and seven wells on our land.

Large outdoor tanks covering the area of a football field are equipped with scrubbing towers and filters that remove ammonia, carbon dioxide and solids from the water before sending it back for recirculation. This system optimizes the rearing environment and conserves up to 99% of the water and heating energy requirements.

Sturgeon Aquaculture

With the co-operation of Vancouver Island University, sturgeon eggs were acquired from broodstock they collected from the Fraser River watershed. Spawning began in 2000 and the first sturgeon meat went to market in 2002.

Conservation Minded

We’re committed to conservation. Overfishing, poaching, pollution and habitat destruction have all contributed to the depletion of wild fisheries stocks, some by 90% over the past 20 years. As well, wild sturgeon living for many decades can gather pesticides from tainted waters in their tissues. Aquaculture relieves some of the pressure placed on wild stocks and provides a healthy, sustainable alternative.

Local Quality and Support

Our products support the 100 Mile Diet for people living in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island. We provide sustainable food products that are great tasting, good for the environment, support the local economy, and are better for consumers’ health.

We’re also dedicated to practicing good corporate citizenship by supporting the community where we live and work. Over the years, we have sponsored many community events, projects and sports teams with financial assistance and donations of prizes and products.