Operational welfare indicators (OWIs) for farmed salmon allow rapid, repeated welfare assessment across production cycles, driving continuous improvement.
Salmon welfare assessment has advanced significantly with validation of operational welfare indicators that can be measured rapidly during routine farm operations. Rather than requiring specialist assessment, trained farm staff can score welfare indicators during normal activities. The resulting data identifies welfare problems early, allows targeted intervention and enables comparison between farms and over time. Mandating OWI reporting in national regulations creates accountability and drives welfare improvement across the industry by making welfare performance visible.