Selective breeding programs in salmon aquaculture aim to improve growth, disease resistance and welfare traits - but genetic improvement involves complex trade-offs that welfare science must evaluate.
Salmon genetic improvement welfare is emerging as an important consideration as breeding programs expand beyond production traits. Selective breeding for growth without concurrent selection for welfare traits can create welfare vulnerabilities - fish that grow fast but have reduced disease resistance or cardiovascular capacity. Including welfare indicators in breeding indexes is a significant advance. Stress response genetics affects how fish cope with the inevitable handling and crowding of aquaculture environments. Genetic programs that include welfare alongside production and health traits represent best practice. Consumer and regulatory pressure for welfare-trait inclusion in breeding programs is an important driver of adoption.