Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Welfare Open Data

Open data sharing on salmon welfare indicators enables industry benchmarking, consumer information, and evidence-based welfare improvement.

Key Facts

Salmon mortality rates, lice counts, and medicine use are collected but rarely made public
Norway requires public reporting of mortality and lice counts at the farm level
Transparency enables benchmarking of welfare performance between farms and companies
Consumer information schemes linking labelling to welfare data are emerging
Open data on welfare indicators would allow identification of best and worst performers

Welfare Considerations

Welfare improvement is hindered when data is not transparent. If consumers, researchers, and policymakers cannot access farm-level welfare data, they cannot make informed choices, identify problems, or evaluate whether standards are working. Open data obligations would create accountability that drives welfare improvement as poor performers face reputational consequences and best performers gain market recognition.

What You Can Do

Support organisations advocating for salmon farm welfare data transparency
Choose certified salmon from companies that publicly report welfare indicators
Advocate for mandatory welfare data reporting in salmon farm licensing requirements