Aquaculture and Fish Welfare

Farmed Salmon Welfare: Gill Health Management

Gill health is the most critical welfare parameter in farmed salmon. Multiple pathogens and environmental stressors cause gill disease, reducing oxygen uptake and causing chronic distress.

Key Facts

Amoebic gill disease caused by Neoparamoeba perurans is the most economically important gill pathogen
Freshwater bathing is the primary treatment for AGD and causes handling stress
Proliferative gill inflammation can be triggered by multiple viral, bacterial and environmental causes
Gill score assessment using macroscopic and microscopic methods enables early detection
Water quality parameters including temperature and suspended solids affect gill integrity

Welfare Considerations

Gill disease causes chronic respiratory distress in affected salmon, significantly impacting their welfare. Prevention through water quality management and early detection through gill scoring are welfare priorities.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture certification schemes requiring regular gill health monitoring
Advocate for water quality standards in salmon welfare certification
Choose certified salmon from operations with verified gill health management programmes