Sam Tomkinson

Sam Tomkinson – Navigating the regulatory seas

Aquaculture is a highly regulated industry. Sam Tomkinson, a member of the regulatory affairs team at Grieg Seafood BC – a Norwegian salmon company with branches in British Columbia – wishes more people knew just how complex navigating those regulations can be.
Tomkinson grew up in Ontario but moved to British Columbia to work in aquaculture after acquiring a certificate in the industry, as well as degrees in biology and physical geography. Her schooling and first job gave her hands-on experience with salmon production. This provided a solid base for her current position. “My job is non-stop – in a good way,” says Tomkinson. “We are regulated by multiple different government agencies. I get to work with every division, helping our team to keep in regulatory compliance. One day I’m in the office, the next I’m out on the water at farms.” “A lot of time the misconceptions people have about our industry we plain and simple can’t do in the first place.” Tomkinson is also the co-director of Young Salmon Farmers of BC, an organization for people under 35 who work in salmon farming. “We’re young professionals who want to see positive dialogue and better education around salmon farming by connecting with people and being active on social media,” Tomkinson says. “We try to educate, inform and show the faces of our industry. But also have some fun with it.”