Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Genetics: Welfare Traits in Selective Breeding

Selective breeding programmes for farmed salmon increasingly include welfare traits alongside production performance.

Key Facts

Spinal deformity rates have genetic components addressable through selection
Sea lice resistance shows heritable variation that can be selected for
Temperament and stress reactivity are partly heritable in Atlantic salmon
Norwegian breeding programmes now include welfare index scores in selection criteria

Welfare Considerations

Genetic improvement for welfare traits reduces baseline suffering for every fish in a breeding cohort. Including spinal health, lice resistance, and stress reactivity in breeding indices is a scalable, cumulative welfare intervention with long-lasting impact.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture breeding programmes that include welfare trait selection
Advocate for welfare indices in national salmon breeding programme requirements
Choose salmon from farming companies with transparent breeding and welfare data