Coho salmon are farmed in Chile, the USA, and Canada, with welfare challenges including sea lice, crowding, aggression, and pre-slaughter handling practices.
Key Facts
Chile is the largest coho salmon producer, with over 100,000 tonnes per year
Coho are more aggressive than Atlantic salmon and require lower stocking densities
Sea lice infestations cause chronic skin damage and immunosuppression
Freshwater fallowing can reduce lice burdens between production cycles
Coho are particularly sensitive to handling stress compared to other salmonids
Welfare Considerations
Coho salmon in cage aquaculture experience welfare challenges from crowding-induced aggression, causing fin and body injuries. Sea lice infestations cause prolonged pain and impaired skin function. Crowding for treatments and harvest causes acute stress responses. Their high sensitivity to handling makes welfare-centred pre-slaughter protocols especially important, as prolonged air exposure causes rapid neurological distress.
What You Can Do
Choose coho certified to welfare standards requiring lice threshold monitoring
Support legislation mandating pre-slaughter stunning for all salmonids
Advocate for stocking density limits specific to coho aggression thresholds
Support research on coho-specific welfare indicators and stress responses
Engage with aquaculture welfare organisations active in Chile and North America