Genetic selection for disease resistance in Atlantic salmon farming reduces the welfare burden of disease outbreaks and antibiotic treatments across production populations.
Genetic selection for salmon disease resistance is a welfare intervention embedded in the production biology of the species — improving the inherent capacity of fish to resist disease before any individual encounter occurs. Unlike reactive welfare improvements (better treatment protocols, stress reduction during procedures), genetic resistance selection prevents the welfare harm of disease rather than managing its consequences. Fish with higher disease resistance experience fewer disease episodes, shorter durations of immune challenge, and less treatment-related stress across their lifetimes. The welfare case for investing in salmon disease resistance genetics is compelling and aligns with production efficiency, making it among the most leverage-rich welfare interventions in aquaculture.