Farmed Salmon Omega-3 and Welfare

The welfare of feeder fish used to produce fishmeal and fish oil for salmon aquaculture is a significant but often overlooked welfare concern. Understanding the chain from feeder fish to salmon illuminates hidden welfare costs in salmon production.

Key Facts

Farmed salmon require dietary EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids, historically derived from wild-caught marine fish
Global fishmeal and fish oil production requires the catch of billions of small pelagic fish including anchovies and sand eels
Fish welfare at sea is largely unregulated - harvesting methods cause significant mortality and potential suffering
Conversion ratios have improved - modern salmon farming requires less wild fish per kg of salmon produced than historically
Alternative omega-3 sources including algal oils and GM canola are being developed and adopted
Sand eel fishing in the North Sea competes with seabird populations that depend on sand eels for breeding success
Certification schemes increasingly require sustainable sourcing of fishmeal but welfare of feeder fish is rarely specified
The transition away from fishmeal toward plant and algal proteins has welfare implications throughout the supply chain

Welfare Considerations

The welfare cost of salmon production extends beyond the salmon themselves to the billions of small fish caught for fishmeal and fish oil. These fish suffer the welfare consequences of commercial fishing - crowding in nets, crushing, suffocation, and in many cases no stunning before death. This hidden welfare cost is rarely discussed in salmon welfare certification. As alternative omega-3 sources from algae and other plant sources become economically viable, transitioning away from feeder fish reduces this upstream welfare burden.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon from producers using algal omega-3 sources or certified sustainable low-impact fishmeal
Support research and development of algal omega-3 as a feeder-fish-free alternative
Advocate for welfare consideration of feeder fish within salmon certification standards
Reduce salmon consumption as the most direct way to reduce demand for feeder fish production