Wild Atlantic and Pacific salmon populations have declined dramatically due to habitat destruction, overfishing and climate change, with significant implications for individual and population welfare.
Wild salmon face welfare challenges at every life stage — from spawning migrations blocked by barriers, to ocean conditions that reduce feeding success, to warming rivers that cause thermal stress and death. Habitat restoration that removes migration barriers and improves riparian vegetation directly reduces the suffering experienced during migration. While wild animal welfare is complex, the preventable suffering caused by human-created barriers and pollution is clearly within our power to address.