Salmon Genetic Welfare Considerations

Selective breeding in Atlantic salmon has welfare implications, with genetic lines varying in disease resistance, stress responsiveness and growth-related health.

Key Facts

Atlantic salmon have been selectively bred for growth rate and disease resistance for decades
Faster-growing genetic lines may have different stress responsiveness than slower-growing ancestors
Heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) and cataracts are partly heritable conditions in farmed salmon
Breeding for disease resistance to important pathogens including IHN and ISA improves welfare outcomes
Some genetic lines show higher susceptibility to sea lice infestation
Gene editing approaches are being explored to improve disease resistance without selective breeding
Welfare genomics in salmon is a growing research area with significant potential

Welfare Considerations

Salmon genetic selection decisions made by breeding companies have profound welfare implications for millions of individual fish across generations of production. Selection for disease resistance directly improves welfare by reducing disease incidence. Selection for growth rate may create trade-offs with structural health. Including welfare traits explicitly in breeding goals is a high-leverage welfare intervention that delivers improvement across the entire production system.

What You Can Do

Ask salmon suppliers about their genetic line selection and welfare trait considerations
Support research into salmon welfare genomics and disease resistance breeding
Choose RSPCA Assured salmon from producers demonstrating welfare-conscious genetic management
Advocate for welfare genomics to be included in salmon aquaculture regulatory frameworks