Atlantic salmon

Salmo salar

?: Under review How we work out the ratings

What to check for

Location

Scotland

Production method

Open net pen, marine

Rating summary

Atlantic salmon in Scotland 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. Salmon are carnivorous fish and rely on wild capture fisheries to produce their feed, Marine Conservation Society 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 April 2023.

Technical consultation summary

References

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An extensive common-garden study with domesticated and wild Atlantic salmon in the wild reveals impact on smolt production and shifts in fitness traits. Evolutionary Applications, Volume 12, Issue 5, pp.1001-1016. Available at https://doi.org/10.1111/eva.12777 [Accessed on 16.01.2023].Tett, P., Benjamins, S., Black, K., Coulson, M., Davidson, K., Fernandes, T. F., Fox, C., Hart, M., Hicks, N., Hughes, A., Hunter, D. C., Nickell, T., Risch, D., Tocher, D., Vare, L., Verspoor, E., Wilding, T., Wilson, B., & Wittich, A. 2018. Review of the environmental impacts of salmon farming in Scotland. Available at https://archive2021.parliament.scot/S5_Environment/General%20Documents/20180125_SAMS_Review_of_Environmental_Impact_of_Salmon_Farming_-_Report.pdf [Accessed on 08.11.2022].