Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon RAS Land-Based Welfare

Recirculating aquaculture systems for salmon offer potential welfare benefits through controlled conditions but present new welfare challenges.

Key Facts

RAS farms maintain precise water quality, temperature, and oxygen control
High stocking densities in RAS can reach 80-100kg per cubic metre
RAS eliminates sea lice as a welfare and biosecurity challenge
Power outages in RAS are catastrophic, risking mass mortality
RAS technology is advancing rapidly with potential to transform salmon welfare

Welfare Considerations

RAS systems offer unprecedented control over salmon welfare parameters - eliminating sea lice, controlling temperature and oxygen, and enabling early disease detection. High stocking densities and system failure risk are welfare concerns. As technology matures, RAS has potential to deliver meaningfully better welfare than sea cage systems.

What You Can Do

Support RAS salmon production as a potential higher-welfare alternative to sea cages
Advocate for welfare standards specifically designed for RAS salmon production
Choose RAS salmon from certified operations with demonstrated welfare monitoring