Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Environmental Welfare Advanced

Advanced considerations in environmental welfare for farmed salmon, including climate change adaptation and site selection.

Key Facts

Sea cage site selection for environmental parameters including temperature and current significantly affects welfare
Sites with strong currents provide better oxygen exchange and waste removal for salmon
Climate change is making some traditional salmon farming areas less suitable
Temperature loggers in sea cages enable early warning of thermal stress events
Moving farms to more northerly, deeper, or offshore sites may be needed for climate adaptation

Welfare Considerations

Environmental welfare in salmon farming is inseparable from site selection and climate adaptation planning. The long-term welfare of farmed salmon requires proactive planning for changing environmental conditions rather than reactive management of welfare emergencies.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture standards that include site environmental assessment as a welfare requirement
Advocate for climate adaptation planning requirements in salmon aquaculture licensing
Choose salmon from farms that proactively monitor and report environmental conditions