The interaction between wild salmon populations and salmon aquaculture creates welfare dimensions for both farmed fish and wild populations affected by escaped fish and sea lice.
The welfare dimensions of salmon aquaculture extend beyond the farmed fish themselves to include wild salmon impacted by sea lice, escaped farm salmon disrupting wild genetic integrity, and the predators that are deterred or killed protecting farm fish. Wild Atlantic salmon with heavy sea lice burdens suffer the same welfare consequences as farmed fish - skin damage, energy expenditure, and compromised health. The population-level effects on wild salmon create a public health analogy: intensive aquaculture in sensitive areas can function as a disease reservoir affecting vulnerable wild populations. Closed containment systems that prevent both sea lice transmission and escapes represent the most welfare-comprehensive solution, simultaneously protecting farmed fish welfare and wild salmon welfare.