Aquaculture Welfare

Farmed Salmon AGD Amoebic Gill Disease Welfare

Amoebic gill disease caused by Neoparamoeba perurans is a major welfare and production challenge in Atlantic salmon farming.

Key Facts

AGD causes gill inflammation, respiratory distress and reduced feeding in salmon
Prevalence has increased with warming sea temperatures around salmon farm sites
Freshwater treatments are the main intervention but cause acute handling stress
Biological control options including cleaner fish have limited efficacy against AGD
Regular gill scoring enables earlier detection and treatment decisions

Welfare Considerations

AGD causes significant respiratory suffering in affected salmon. The condition is becoming more prevalent with climate change. Effective monitoring and treatment, while minimising the welfare costs of handling, requires careful integrated management.

What You Can Do

Support salmon certification requiring AGD monitoring and welfare-conscious treatment
Advocate for research into less stressful AGD treatment methods
Choose salmon from farms with transparent health monitoring data