Farmed and Dangerous: Resource List of Scientific Research on Open-Net Pen Salmon Farms

Why are so many scientists concerned about fish farming, particularly open-net pen salmon farming? We have done the digging for you, and created a repository of scientific studies and information on the impacts of salmon farming. This annotated resource list  includes a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph for each entry, so you can get a quick and easy overview.

From mouth rot and sea lice, to  infectious salmon anaemia virus and Piscine orthoreovirus this collection of studies analyses the impacts of disease on both farmed fish and their wild neighbours. Additional resources assess other ecosystem impacts such as mercury contamination, as well as wider economic and sustainability implications of salmon farming operations. 

Drawing from over a decade of largely independent research, we invite you to explore this resource to learn about the significant threats posed by open-net pen salmon farms and the urgent need to protect wild salmon populations.

Despite growing evidence of the harm these open-net pen farms cause to wild salmon populations and marine ecosystems, their continued operation demonstrates a disregard for the voices of First Nations, conservationists, scientists, and local communities. These farms act as breeding grounds for parasites and diseases, which spread to wild salmon, further endangering these iconic species already struggling due to habitat loss, climate change and overfishing.

Image Courtesy of Alexandra Morton

Pacific Wild has long advocated for the removal of open-net pen salmon farms from British Columbia’s coastal waters. Our ongoing campaigns highlight the systemic failures in monitoring and regulating these industrial operations, as well as the critical need to transition to land-based, closed-containment systems to protect wild salmon runs.

Without decisive action to remove open-net pen salmon farms, wild salmon populations will likely continue to decline, with devastating effects on marine biodiversity and communities that rely on healthy, thriving oceans. Help us protect this vital species and ensure their survival for generations to come. Join us in protecting wild salmon by saying #FOFF to fish farms.