Farmed Salmon Welfare in Recirculating Aquaculture

Recirculating aquaculture systems offer improved welfare for farmed salmon compared to sea cages by eliminating sea lice and controlling environment.

Key Facts

RAS keeps fish in tanks with filtered, recirculated water eliminating exposure to wild sea lice
RAS systems allow precise control of temperature, oxygen, and water quality parameters
Land-based RAS eliminates sea lice, reduces disease, and prevents escapes into wild salmon habitat
Current RAS salmon accounts for a small but growing percentage of global production
Energy requirements of RAS are significantly higher than sea cage systems
RAS fish experience more consistent water quality with fewer acute stressor events
Stocking density in RAS is regulated by oxygen delivery and ammonia removal capacity

Welfare Considerations

RAS removes many of the most significant welfare stressors in conventional salmon farming. Sea lice infestations and associated treatments are eliminated. Water quality can be optimized for salmon welfare rather than constrained by ambient environmental conditions. However, RAS introduces novel stressors including noise from pumps, artificial lighting cycles, and the complete control of all environmental inputs. Welfare assessment for RAS must address these unique factors.

What You Can Do

Support scaling of land-based RAS salmon production as a welfare improvement over sea cage systems
Choose RAS-certified salmon when welfare-labeled products become commercially available
Advocate for research into optimal RAS conditions for salmon welfare including lighting and stocking density
Engage retailers on increasing their share of RAS-produced salmon sourcing
Support policy frameworks that incentivize land-based RAS through recognition of welfare benefits
Donate to research programs comparing welfare outcomes between RAS and sea cage salmon production