Atlantic salmon aquaculture faces significant disease challenges that affect both fish welfare and industry sustainability. Prevention-focused approaches dramatically reduce suffering.
Disease in farmed salmon causes profound suffering. Sea lice burrow through skin, causing open wounds that expose flesh and impair immune function. Bacterial infections cause systemic illness. Viral diseases cause rapid deterioration and death. Fish experiencing serious disease suffer pain and distress for extended periods before mortality. The welfare case for aggressive disease prevention is overwhelming - a healthy fish is a fish not suffering. However, prevention approaches must themselves be assessed for welfare impact: cleaner fish used for sea lice control may experience poor welfare themselves, and some treatments like freshwater baths cause acute stress.