Farmed Salmon Deformity Spinal Welfare

Spinal deformities in farmed salmon cause chronic welfare compromise and are linked to both genetic and hatchery management factors.

Key Facts

Spinal deformities including curvature and compression affect up to 10 percent of some farmed salmon cohorts
Deformed fish have impaired swimming, feeding, and social behavior throughout their lives
Poor water quality, vitamin deficiencies, and crowding during the alevin stage increase deformity rates
Genetic selection for rapid growth has inadvertently increased skeletal deformity susceptibility
Radiographic screening of live fish allows deformity prevalence monitoring without harvest

Welfare Considerations

Salmon with spinal deformities experience chronic postural discomfort, impaired locomotion, and difficulty competing for food. Reducing hatchery-stage risk factors prevents substantial welfare costs that persist for the fish's entire life.

What You Can Do

Support certification schemes that require deformity monitoring and reporting
Advocate for mandatory deformity rate reporting in salmon aquaculture licensing
Choose salmon from farms with vertically integrated welfare standards from egg to harvest