Atlantic salmon farming faces endemic welfare challenges including sea lice infestations, high mortality rates and crowding stress that affect millions of fish.
Farmed salmon experience welfare problems throughout their lives in commercial production systems. The combination of high stocking density, sea lice infestation, disease pressure and frequent handling creates chronic stress that suppresses immune function and causes ongoing suffering. Sea lice feeding on skin causes open sores that are prone to secondary infection. Treatments for sea lice - whether chemical, thermal or mechanical - cause additional acute stress and injury. The scale of salmon farming means the total animal suffering involved is immense, even if individual fish receive less attention than mammals or birds.