Farmed Salmon Environmental Welfare

Open-net salmon farming impacts not only farmed fish welfare but also wild fish populations through escapes, disease transmission, and pollution.

Key Facts

Open-net salmon farms in Norway, Scotland, and Canada have escaped millions of Atlantic salmon
Escaped farmed salmon compete with wild salmon and can spread disease and parasites
Sea lice from farms at high density can devastate wild salmonid populations near farm sites
Sustainable Aquaculture certification schemes address some but not all welfare and environmental concerns
Land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) eliminate most open-net environmental impacts

Welfare Considerations

Farmed salmon welfare and environmental welfare are intertwined. High stocking density in open-net cages creates conditions that favor sea lice infestation, which harms both farmed and wild fish. Escapes from farms spread domesticated genetics into wild populations and can transmit diseases. Environmental degradation from farm waste affects the broader aquatic ecosystem including the wild fish that depend on it. Land-based RAS farms eliminate sea lice, escapes, and direct environmental pollution — at higher energy cost. The welfare of farmed fish and the ecological integrity of surrounding waters are genuinely linked and should be assessed together.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon from land-based RAS farms when available
Support aquaculture certification schemes that address both welfare and environmental impacts
Advocate for regulatory requirements limiting open-net salmon farm density near wild salmon habitat
Reduce or eliminate salmon consumption from uncertified conventional open-net farms
Support research into and expansion of closed-containment salmon aquaculture systems