Atlantic salmon in sea cages often live in barren environments lacking the complexity of natural river and ocean habitats. Environmental enrichment may improve welfare and production outcomes.
Salmon enrichment is an emerging area of aquaculture welfare research challenging the assumption that fish have limited behavioural needs. Wild salmon experience rich, variable environments with navigational, foraging, and social complexity. Sea cage environments, by contrast, are relatively uniform and barren. Research is exploring whether structured currents, feeding enrichment, lighting manipulation, and structural complexity improve salmon welfare indicators including stereotypy rates, cortisol levels, and injury rates. Initial results suggest enrichment can improve welfare without compromising production. The aquaculture industry is beginning to incorporate environmental enrichment into welfare standards as evidence accumulates.