Environmental Enrichment for Farmed Salmon

Environmental enrichment for farmed Atlantic salmon is an emerging area of welfare research with practical implications for sea cage management.

Key Facts

Wild salmon inhabit complex environments with structural variety, currents, and diverse prey
Sea cages provide a monotonous environment without the environmental complexity of wild habitats
Current lights and artificial structures can influence salmon swimming behavior and distribution in cages
Research into salmon enrichment is at an earlier stage than for terrestrial farmed animals

Welfare Considerations

The concept of environmental enrichment for farmed salmon is relatively new but is gaining scientific attention. Wild salmon inhabit varied environments where structure, current variation, prey pursuit, and territory interactions provide behavioral complexity. Sea cages offer none of this variation. Research into current lights and simple structures within cages suggests that salmon respond to environmental complexity by showing more diverse and natural swimming behaviors. Whether this translates to measurable welfare benefits in terms of stress reduction and positive affect requires further investigation. The precautionary principle suggests that providing environmental complexity where it can be practically achieved is likely to improve welfare.

What You Can Do

Support research into practical enrichment approaches for farmed salmon
Choose certified salmon from operations that invest in welfare improvements including environmental complexity
Advocate for welfare research funding specifically targeting behavioral needs of farmed salmon
Engage with aquaculture producers and welfare scientists on practical enrichment implementation