Pacific salmon species including Chinook and coho farmed outside their native Pacific range face specific welfare challenges related to environmental adaptation.
The welfare of Pacific salmon farmed in non-native environments is an emerging area of concern. Transplantation to different environmental conditions may expose these species to novel disease organisms and stress factors for which they have less adaptive capacity. The welfare literature on Pacific salmon in aquaculture is substantially thinner than for Atlantic salmon, meaning producers and regulators have less evidence to draw on when developing welfare protocols. Greater research investment is needed.