Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Disease Prevention and Biosecurity

Biosecurity and disease prevention strategies in salmon farming to reduce welfare costs of disease outbreaks.

Key Facts

Infectious Salmon Anaemia and Pancreas Disease cause significant mortality and suffering
Fallowing of sites between production cycles is a key biosecurity measure
Area management agreements coordinate disease control between neighbouring farms
Vaccination programmes have significantly reduced bacterial disease impacts
Wild salmon interactions with farm fish disease is a contentious conservation issue

Welfare Considerations

Disease outbreaks cause significant acute suffering in farmed salmon, and investment in prevention through biosecurity and vaccination is both a welfare and business priority.

What You Can Do

Support development of biosecurity standards in salmon aquaculture regulation
Choose salmon from farms with published disease management records
Advocate for area management requirements in salmon farming legislation