Atlantic salmon farming is a major aquaculture sector with significant welfare challenges. Understanding these helps consumers and advocates identify leverage for improvement.
Atlantic salmon welfare encompasses challenges at every stage of production. Sea lice — small crustaceans that attach to and feed on salmon skin — cause lesions, immune stress, and secondary infections. Treatment chemicals and mechanical removal cause additional stress. High stocking densities in sea cages increase aggression, injury rates, and disease transmission. Water quality management is critical — oxygen depletion causes respiratory distress and can cause mass mortality events. Slaughter welfare is poor in much of the industry, with many fish dying through asphyxiation or live processing. Welfare certification schemes for salmon including GLOBALG.A.P. and ASC include welfare requirements but monitoring consistency is variable.