Farmed salmon escaping into wild populations create welfare and conservation problems for wild Atlantic salmon. Managing escape risk protects both farmed and wild fish welfare.
Salmon escape events have welfare consequences for both escapees and wild fish. Farmed salmon released into wild environments experience acute stress and disorientation as they navigate an environment for which they are behaviorally unprepared. Their survival rates are poor, meaning escaped fish face a prolonged period of struggle before dying. Wild Atlantic salmon who interact with escapees face competition and genetic dilution that reduces wild population fitness over generations. The welfare of wild salmon populations is thus compromised indirectly through the consequences of farming practices. Cage integrity monitoring, improved moorings, and rapid response protocols when escapes are detected reduce both the frequency and scale of escape events.