A study of some aspects of farmed salmon’s impact on the environment shows Norway as best in class, while the UK industry received the worst grades.
The study, “Not all salmon created equal”, a cooperation between scientists in Sweden and North and Latin America, was published online in the Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) journal.
A global-scale life cycle assessment of a farmed salmon, the study examines the cumulative energy use, biotic resource use, and greenhouse gas, acidifying, and eutrophying emissions associated with producing farmed salmon in Norway, the UK, British Columbia (Canada), and Chile, as well as a production-weighted global average.
It found marked differences between regions in the nature and quantity of material/energy resource use and associated emission, which, according to the scientists, suggests significant scope for improved environmental performance in the industry as a whole.
“Our results are of direct relevance to industry, policy makers, eco-labeling programs, and
consumers seeking to further sustainability objectives in salmon aquaculture”, they said, adding that impacts were lowest for Norwegian production in most impact categories, and highest for UK farmed salmon.