Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Infectious Salmon Anaemia Welfare

Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) is a serious viral disease causing mass mortality and welfare compromise in farmed salmon.

Key Facts

ISA virus causes haemorrhagic disease with high mortality in affected fish
The disease spreads rapidly within and between sites through water and equipment
Fallowing and biosecurity are the primary control tools for ISA prevention
Infected fish experience severe anaemia, organ failure, and distress before death

Welfare Considerations

ISA outbreaks cause mass mortality events with fish experiencing progressive systemic disease. Rapid diagnosis and culling of infected populations, while causing acute welfare harm, may prevent wider suffering from disease progression. Prevention through strict biosecurity is the highest welfare approach.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture biosecurity research and implementation
Choose salmon from producers with robust ISA prevention protocols
Advocate for disease surveillance and reporting transparency in aquaculture