Aquaculture

Comprehensive Welfare Assessment for Farmed Salmon

A comprehensive approach to salmon welfare assessment addresses the full production cycle from smolt production to slaughter.

Key Facts

The Norwegian Salmon Welfare Index (FishWell) is the most comprehensive validated welfare assessment
It covers eight welfare domains including environment, health, behaviour, and slaughter
Assessment is conducted through observation and measurement at multiple production stages
Regular comprehensive assessment enables benchmarking and improvement tracking
Welfare assessment results are increasingly used by retailers for procurement decisions

Welfare Considerations

Comprehensive welfare assessment for salmon requires evaluating welfare across all production phases rather than focusing on individual indicators. Validated multi-domain assessment protocols provide a holistic picture of salmon welfare that enables informed comparison between farms and production systems. Integration of comprehensive assessment into supply chain requirements drives welfare improvement across the sector.

What You Can Do

Support retailer adoption of comprehensive salmon welfare assessment requirements
Advocate for comprehensive welfare assessment standards in salmon aquaculture certification
Raise awareness about comprehensive welfare assessment as the gold standard for salmon welfare
Support research into additional welfare domains and measurement methods for salmon
Choose salmon products from farms with documented comprehensive welfare assessment