Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Climate Adaptation and Welfare

Climate change is creating new welfare challenges in salmon farming through warming seas, harmful algal blooms, and shifting disease patterns.

Key Facts

Sea surface temperatures in key salmon farming areas have increased by 1-2 degrees in recent decades
Harmful algal blooms cause mass mortality events in sea cage salmon farming
Warmer temperatures accelerate sea lice reproduction and reduce treatment efficacy
Amoebic gill disease (AGD) is expanding its range due to warming waters
Land-based RAS systems offer climate-resilience but have high energy and capital costs

Welfare Considerations

Climate change is making existing welfare challenges in salmon farming worse while creating new ones. Temperature stress reduces immune function and increases disease susceptibility. Algal bloom events cause mass suffocation - an acute, severe welfare catastrophe. Adaptation strategies including site selection, RAS investment, and breed improvement for thermal tolerance are urgently needed as welfare imperatives alongside production considerations.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture adaptation research including welfare-focused climate resilience
Advocate for algal bloom monitoring and early warning systems in sea farm licensing
Choose certified salmon from farms demonstrating climate adaptation investment