Aquaculture

Aquaculture Net Pen Welfare

Open-water net pen aquaculture concentrates large numbers of fish and exposes them to sea lice, disease, and environmental fluctuations.

Key Facts

Net pen aquaculture houses millions of fish in each pen at sea
Sea lice infestations are the primary welfare challenge in Atlantic salmon farming
Environmental temperature and oxygen fluctuations cause chronic stress
Pen crowding reduces fish ability to avoid aggressive conspecifics
Recirculating aquaculture systems offer better control but higher costs

Welfare Considerations

Net pen environments create cumulative welfare challenges that compound each other: sea lice cause pain, crowding prevents escape, temperature swings stress fish physiology, and disease spreads rapidly through dense populations. Better welfare outcomes require lower densities, improved sea lice management, and thoughtful site selection.

What You Can Do

Choose certified responsible aquaculture products
Ask retailers about their aquaculture welfare standards
Support development of improved sea lice management techniques
Advocate for aquaculture density standards in national regulations
Support research on recirculating aquaculture system welfare