Atlantic salmon

Salmo salar

3: OK - Needs improvement How we work out the ratings

What to check for

Location

All areas

Production method

Open net pen, marine

Rating summary

Atlantic salmon in the Faroe Islands are farmed in open net pens in the sea. Producing fish in open systems can cause environmental impacts such as: impacts of chemical and sea lice treatment usage; nutrient and organic waste deposition; outbreaks of disease; impacts on wild salmonids by transmission of sea lice, and escapes from farms. However, in the Faroe Islands, there are low levels of pathogens and sea lice are effectively managed. Salmon are carnivorous fish and rely on wild capture fisheries to produce their feed, MCS would like to see all these fish certified as sustainably managed. Due to the lack of data in relation to some of the environmental impacts of salmon farming, MCS is advocating a halt in industry expansion using existing practices until more evidence is available.Rating last updated May 2023.

Technical consultation summary

How we worked out this Rating

Feed used in salmon aquaculture is traceable and requirements are in place for responsible ingredient sourcing, including the use of certified ingredients. However, salmon is a net consumer of fish protein.The production of Faroese salmon relies on a variety of different feeds including specialist formulation. Historically, the most important ingredients in salmon feed have been fishmeal and fish oil, which provide an almost complete feed in a convenient and highly digestible product form. The primary fisheries supplying fishmeal and fish oil are found globally (Ireland, Denmark, Iceland, South Africa, Norway, Peru, USA) and have a range of species (Anchoveta, blue whiting, capelin, menhaden, Norway pout, sand eel, sprat). Due to a need to reduce costs and secure the supply, cheaper alternative ingredients (for example, soybean and rapeseed oil) have been progressively substituted in commercial feed formulas. In the Faroe Islands, novel feed ingredients are also being used, such as insect meals and algal oils.The main feed producer in the Faroe Islands is Havsbrún (Bakkafrost) which provides 75% of feed used. The other 25% is provided by Skretting and MOWI. All companies have policies in place to ensure that the protein and oil components of all feed used in the Faroe Islands is traceable and responsibly sourced and this can be independently verified (MarinTrust). The dependency of wild caught fish used in fish meal and fish oil (known as the Feed Fish Dependency Ratio) for this species currently indicates that more fish protein is required in the diet than these fish produce, making them a net consumer of fish rather than a fish producer. Soy used is certified by Pro Terra and no palm oil is used by Havsbraún.

There are practices in place to ensure animal welfare and humane slaughter.In the Faroe Islands, there is legislation in place covering animal welfare. Strict veterinary aquaculture legislation in the Faroe Islands was implemented in 2003 and has been effective in protecting farmed salmon from disease. It is also required by law that water quality measurements have to be taken on a regular basis and the density of salmon in pens is limited to make sure the salmon have ample room to swim. Humane slaughter methods are in place.

References

Bakkafrost. 2022. Healthy Living Sustainability Report. Available at https://bakkafrost.cdn.fo/media/4133/healthy_living_web_22.pdf?s=4TP2oDleZvy-4-Ln4NJsfaFZPEQ [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

Coram, A., Mazilu, M. and Northridge, S. 2016. Plugging the Gaps - Improving Our Knowledge of How Predators Impact Salmon Farms. A study commissioned by the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum (SARF). Available at http://www.sarf.org.uk/cms-assets/documents/245877-466609.sarf097.pdf [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

Eliasen, K., Danielsen, E., Johannesen, Á., Joensen, L. J. and Patursson, E. J. 2018. The cleaning efficacy of lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus L.) in Faroese salmon (Salmo salar L.) farming pens in relation to lumpfish size and seasonality. Aquaculture. 488:61-65. Available at https://fiskaaling.fo/media/2249/2018_kirstineliasen_et_al.pdf [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

FAROEISLANDS.FO. 2019. Faroese Salmon Renowned Around the World. Available at https://www.faroeislands.fo/economy-business/aquaculture/ [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

Global salmon initiative. Sustainability Report. Available at https://globalsalmoninitiative.org/en/sustainability-report/sustainability-indicators/ [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

Intrafish. 2020. Bakkafrost loses 1 million salmon in monster storm. Available at https://www.intrafish.com/salmon/bakkafrost-loses-1-million-salmon-in-monster-storm/2-1-769191?utm_source=Intrafish%20Europe%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=145a681a99-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_09_09_21&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6ee671474e-145a681a99-245302819 [Accessed on 07.04.2020].

Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. 2022. Atlantic Salmon: Salmo salar. Faroe Islands. Marine Net Pens. Available at https://www.seafoodwatch.org/globalassets/sfw-data-blocks/reports/s/seafood-watch-farmed-salmon-faroes-27921.pdf [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

Niels Winther, pers comm by email on 8th June 2020.

Norði, G., Glud, R., Simonsen,K., Gaard, E. 2018. Deposition and benthic mineralization of organic carbon: A seasonal study from Faroe Islands. Journal of Marine Systems 177 (2018) 53-61. Available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924796316302858 [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

Norði, G., Glud, R.N., Gaard, E. and Simonsen, K., 2011. Environmental impacts of coastal fish farming: carbon and nitrogen budgets for trout farming in Kaldbaksfjørður (Faroe Islands). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 431, pp.223-241. Available at https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v431/p223-241/ [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

Øssur M. Dalbúð, pers comm by email on 1st September 2023.

Salmon from the Faroe Islands. Sustainability. Fish Welfare. Available at http://salmon-from-the-faroe-islands.com/fishwelfare.html [Accessed on 10.05.2023].

Skretting. 2019. Sustainability Report. Available at https://www.skretting.com/siteassets/global-files/nuterra/sustainability-report-2019/skretting-sustainability-report-2019.pdf [Accessed on 09.09.2020].

Skretting. 2020. Sustainable soy. Available at https://www.skretting.com/en/sustainability/ingredients/sustainable-soy/ [Accessed on 12.02.2020].

Sundt-Hansen, L., Huisman, J., Skoglund, H. and Hindar, K. 2015. Farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. parr may reduce early survival of wild fish. Journal of Fish Biology, 86, pp. 1699-1712. Available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jfb.12677 [Accessed on 01.05.2023].

Sustainable swaps

Arctic char
1 source, rated 2
Keta salmon
2 sources, rated 2
Pink salmon
2 sources, rated 2
Rainbow trout
4 sources, rated from 2-3
Red salmon
2 sources, rated 2
Albacore tuna
16 sources, rated from 1-3

Add impact to your inbox

Join the movement: get updates on the issues you care about.

We'll email you inspiring stories about the work we're doing to save and recover our oceans, and news about our urgent campaigns for positive change.