Environmental enrichment for farmed salmon is a growing area of research and practice. Providing complexity in sea cage environments improves salmon welfare and may enhance production outcomes.
Salmon environmental enrichment addresses the mismatch between the complex natural environments that shaped salmon behavior and the monotonous sea cage environment they are farmed in. The predictable circular current in sea cages promotes stereotypic circling behavior at the surface. Structural additions that create heterogeneous flow, refuge areas, and variable current directions engage natural orientation and use of current. Research demonstrates welfare and production benefits from enrichment through reduced aggression, better feed distribution, and lower cortisol. This is an area where welfare science and production economics align, creating favorable conditions for industry adoption of enrichment practices as evidence accumulates.