Fish Welfare

A big part of making our salmon thrive and grow is to imitate the natural environment. In the hatcheries, we copy the seabed in the rivers where the best eggs become fry. The fry and juvenile fish gets care and protection from predators, and we ensure the optimal water quality (e.g., temperature and oxygen), current to swim against, and other growth condition through the entire freshwater cycle. We have also been testing various types of environmental enrichment, designed to mimic behaviour of salmon in the rivers. However, these may conflict with optimizing water quality and as such lead to risk of inferior fish welfare.
Contrary to nature, in farming the fish gets sufficient nutritious feed and feeding is carried out avoiding competition for food that compromises welfare. We do not use growth hormones or other growth promoters in our salmon farming.

WATER QUALITY

We have both RAS-facilities (Recirculating Aquaculture Systems) and flow-through systems in our freshwater production. For the fish this is equal as we have the high-quality requirements for the water in both systems. In RAS facilities the used water is treated to remove particles and CO2, oxygen is added, and other treatment is done if needed to reset the water parameters. In flow-through systems the water is checked before intake and treated if necessary and treated before released to the river or ocean, ensuring that the effluent water holds high standard.

The water in freshwater facilities is monitored on temperature, oxygen and CO2 as well as all relevant components that may affect the salmon negatively.

In the ocean we cannot control the water quality the same way as in land-based facilities, and on our grow out sites we do not have RAS-systems. Hence, the location of the site is based on analyses of the water quality at each location.

Water quality is key for the environment of the fish. Hence measurements are done at different depths in the cage during the entire production cycle and there are plans on how to react in case rapid deterioration of water quality are standard. During production, key parameters as temperature, salinity and oxygen are registered daily, and turbidity are measured daily or weekly. Adapted to the local situation, also factors as water transparency, phytoplankton, zooplankton, presence of algae, bio marine toxins, and total nitrogen and phosphorus are measured. The feeding is monitored through camaras at flexible depths in the pen. We also measure the growth of the fish based on average weight.

DENSITY

We must understand the salmon based on its own assumptions, and not based on what we ourselves would like. We need to understand what the salmon's natural instincts are, and how the salmon reacts when it is forced to be part of a larger group, which is the situation for farmed salmon. 

In freshwater, the salmon will claim territory, this applies to sexually mature fish that are about to spawn, and it applies to in the rivers. If there are few fries in a tank, they will claim territory and behave aggressively towards each other. But if there are more, and well fed, they accept each other without claiming territory.

In the ocean, salmon do not claim territory. 

When we measure density in a cage or tank, we measure the average density, as if the fish were evenly distributed. They are not. The average will be much lower than where the fish congregate. The salmon in the cages or tanks choose to swim closely with other fish, and the normal density where the salmon swims in shoals can be 70 kg/m3. 

The stocking density for ocean sites and freshwater sites follows the scientifically recognized limits and regulations. The maximum density in net pens in Norway is 25 kg/m3. This corresponds to 2.5% of the volume. Actually, there is more salt in an ocean pen that salmon, even at maximum biomass. In Chile and Canada, the maximum density for Atlantic salmon s lower 17 kg/m3 and 15 kg/m3. The maximum density occurs only in a short period close to harvest.

In our land based production, the fish density is set at each facility for the production stages (start feeding, fry, smolt and post smolt). The density varies from 5 kg/m3 to 60 kg/m3. always ensuring that the feeding and water quality is maintained. 

The fish chooses where to swim in a cage or tank. In a cage, a large proportion of the fish will stay in a small part of the cage (usually within a depth layer of approx. 10 metres), but there are always some fish that are elsewhere and some fish that are far away. In farming, we have different monitoring that shows where in the cage the salmon stay.

MONITORING

The fish behaviour is monitored daily from the surface as well as from cameras on different depths inside the pen, and actions is taken if unnormal behaviour is seen. Depth distribution, swimming patterns, eventual aggression, and feeding are elements important to assess the welfare, and key parameters are registered. We utilize a scientifically recognized method for welfare scoring, using a protocol where elements scored and registered include environment, population parameters, and individual traits including several external traits on e.g. skin, fins and head status. Also, eventual deformities are registered and managed. 

Being surrounded by nets is not a natural environment, but it ensures welfare by protecting salmon against predators. The nets are constructed to allow good waterflow while being gentle to the fish if it happens to swim into the net. We have nets also above the pen, to protect our fish against predator birds. 

Our salmon must have feed that provides all nutrients needed and give good animal health and high product quality. Traditionally, salmon farming depended on forage fisheries. While the major part has been replaced with plant ingredients, marine ingredients are still important for fish health and to keep a good content of marine omega 3. The marine ingredients in the feed have the lowest CO2 footprint, and not using sustainably source fish meal and fish oil will go against the goal of cutting our GHG emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

Growing salmon is also efficient use of the marine ingredients, fish meal (protein) and fish oil, and salmon is a net producer of both marine protein and marine oils. There is more marine oils and protein in the salmon than we have used in the feed to produce the salmon.

All marine ingredients must come from sustainable sources. The marine sources that are included in the feed are capture fish, shellfish, and zooplankton and a large share of the marine ingredients comes from trimmings and discards.

Growing novel ingredients as part of the global food transition is the long-term goal, and we work with our feed suppliers to gain greater knowledge of alternative raw materials. We also gradually increase the use of novel ingredients for example algae oil in our feed.

Our Code of Conduct for feed suppliers set strict requirement to the sustainable sourcing feed ingredients. All soy used in salmon feed shall be certified by the Roundtable for Sustainable Soy, Pro Terra, or equivalent.
 

See more details on the sources and origin of the feed ingredients in our most recent sustainability report.

A robust health plan is required in our operations. Both freshwater facilities and sea water sites have health plans outlining standards, procedures and actions including treatments. The plans are developed and revised by our designated veterinarians/aqua medicine experts and checked by both authorities and auditors. The plans are reviewed yearly or for each production cycle.

Our approach is to develop preventive measures against diseases by identifying the causative pathogens and revealing the transmission routes of these pathogens. The first line of preventive measures are systematic pathogen screening and strict hygiene adapted to the production system.

One part of the health plan is vaccination. Some vaccines are taken orally as part of the feed, and some are given as injection. The fish are sedated before injection of vaccine. Optimal feed and farming environment are also key to reduce disease risk.

See an overview of the vaccines used in our farming in our sustainability report.

The optimal situation for the salmon is to not be disturbed. However, sometimes we need to handle single fish or move groups of fish, and if so, we do that based on our fish health plan and procedures.

HOLDING THE FISH

When checking individual fish out of the water, it is important to hold the fish in a way that does not harm the fish, which mean carefully holding the entire fish, while supporting the body of the fish. It is equally important that the time the fish is out of water is as short as possible. Our aim is that the fish should be maximum 15 seconds out of water, unless it is sedated. This is relevant for example when we count sea lice, an operation mandatory by regulations in all regions we farm.
 

MOVING FISH

When moving the fish, some form for crowding must take place. This can be stressful to the fish, and the processes are carefully managed. Our standards are that the period of crowding and the frequency should be kept to a minimum. Only in some cases, when fish arrive at the processing plant, they may experience more frequent crowding.

Cermaq is part of a research program on fish welfare where we together with Nofima and Institute for Marine Research to optimise the crowding processes so that this is done as gently as possible.

Nets are used when grading the fish, splitting one group of fish in two. It is very important that the nets and other equipment used will not injury the fish and stress the fish as little as possible. To avoid stress, we practice passive grading where the fish passes through the grading system as a part of their natural movement in the pen, and only occasionally active grading is needed.

SEA LICE
Treatment of the fish against sea lice or against pathogens require approval by veterinarian or aqua medicine expert. For some treatments the fish fastens ahead of the treatment. This is to activate and strengthen the inherent resilience of the fish. As a carnivore animal, salmon can fasten for long periods of time. In farming however, fasting is only used when deemed strictly necessary and under veterinary’s advice. We try to avoid repeated fasting and carefully assess sufficient fasting time for fish before handling and harvest to ensure that fish welfare is not at risk when adhering to customer requirements, and not compromising fish health or welfare. All fasting periods are registered.

Today, limiting the number of sea lice is the main reason for treatment of salmon. Sea lice are naturally occurring in sea water, where they prey on wild as well as farmed salmon. Hence, all smolt transferred from our freshwater hatcheries are free of sea lice. Robust smolt is important for successful transition and adaptation to sea water as in this period they are most vulnerable. The accepted level of sea lice in salmon farming is defined by authorities. The level is set way below the number that would be harmful to an individual salmon.

The main approach to keep our salmon free of sea lice is preventive measures, avoiding the sea lice to attach to our salmon. The most used preventive measure is lice skirts around the pen used in periods there are much lice larvae in the water currents. Also, functional feed may play an important role. We are also testing submersible pens and semi closed net pens. 

If treatment is needed, we will select treatment that is both efficient and gentle to the fish and we`ll always consider any environmental impact. By alternating different methods, we minimize the risk of driving resistance to a specific treatment. The use of laser against sea lice is spreading as it reduces the sea lice pressure significantly and does not stress the fish or harm their welfare. In-feed treatment is also gentle to the fish but may lead to sea lice developing resistance and can also have environmental impacts. In-bath medical treatment will both stress the fish and may lead to sea lice developing resistance, and the water must be properly disposed.

Also, hydrogen peroxide is used, which requires handling of the fish, but the active ingredient is quickly broken down into water and oxygen and hence have very limited environmental impacts. Non-medical measures include various treatment with fresh water and sea water where the physical treatment will stress the fish.

Additional treatment used include probiotic, used to treat smolt as they are vaccinated and various natural products e.g. garlicon. Use of these treatment must be approved by veterinarian /fish health expert and be based on documentation on effectiveness and that is does not harm the fish welfare.

The selection of treatment types varies across our operations, but for all it is important to have a set of tools to use to avoid sea lice developing resistance and to use the treatment that is the best to be maintain fish welfare depending on each situation. 

Cermaq is not using cleaner fish against sea lice as we wish better protocols of maintaining the welfare of the cleaner fish.

During treatment, the impact on welfare is monitored and registered, and treatment stopped if acceptable welfare cannot be maintained. Having multiple options for treatment and select the right for each situation, is important to avoid sea lice developing resistance.

Sea lice treatment is registered and reported to authorities for each single treatment for each single site. The counting of sea lice is done by farm crew specially trained for the task. Currently automatic continuous registration systems are being tested, and in Norway dispensation from counting sea lice manually may be granted on specific conditions.

Our monthly sea lice report for each farm (sea site) in Chile are publicly available on our web site. Sea lice  figures for our operations in Norway are available at farm level at the Barentswatch web site. Aggregated annual figures for each region are reported in our sustainability report.

PATHOGENS AND DISEASES
As people and other animals, salmon may catch a bacterial infection. Maintaining fish welfare may require that we treat the fish in the pen, or alternatively humanly cull the fish if the infection is untreatable, the outbreak is grave, or it is likely that all fish quickly will have their welfare significantly reduced. Keeping the use of antibiotic at a minimum is a high priority. Using the right types and the smallest effective doses likewise. Both antibiotic and non-antibiotic treatment must be approved by veterinary or fish health experts.

Our policy for the use of antibiotics is to limit the use to cases where:
- Animal welfare is threatened by a bacterial disease
- A diagnosis of disease exists with a prescription of antibiotic by an authorized person
- The antibiotic has a proven therapeutic effect against the disease, and
- The antibiotic is approved for use in fish farming

If antibiotics is used in our food production, the use is registered with date, type, amount,  frequency and reason of use. We would use either Florfenicol, or Oxytetracycline. Currently, and these antibiotics are being used against outbreaks of the diseases tenacibaculosis, mouthrot, BKD, and SRS.

We have set goals for reducing the use of antibiotics. The goal is set specifically for each region as reduction from historic performance. However, these goals are not always reached as our they are and should be a real stretch. Our use of antibiotics is included in our sustainability reporting.

We apply the similar standard for use of non-antibiotic treatments. The use must be approved by a veterinarian or fish health expert, the use must be registered including date, type, amount, frequency and reason of use.

RESEARCH IN FISH HEALTH
Our fish health research team is engaged in many ways is reducing the need for antibiotics, for example: 
1. Developing vaccines. 
Together with pharmaceutical companies we work to develop new vaccines. Our responsibility being identification and description of the pathogen and testing effect of vaccines.
2. Reducing the use to minimum effective doses 
The team analyses the sensitivity of the bacteria to enable our operations setting the antibiotic doses as low as possible, still ensuring efficient short-term and long-term effects against the bacterium.
3. Identifying pathogens and sources
The R&D team analyses samples to identify pathogens that challenge fish health, they also check and investigate our freshwater facilities to disclose any in-house biosecurity challenges.
 

We farm Atlantic salmon and Coho salmon. We do not farm genetically engineered salmon, cloned or triploid salmon. While we recognize the future opportunities in CRISPR gene editing technology in food production, we respect customers’ and consumers’ concern related to such technologies.

Cermaq does not use cleaner fish, fish that eat sea lice off the salmon in the pen, because we have learned that it is too difficult to maintain the health and welfare of the cleaner fish.

In the ocean, salmon has many natural enemies, predators that eat salmon. We protect the salmon against these predators. To avoid predators getting to our salmon, we have preventive measures e.g., extra nets in regions where predators can attack through the pen. These nets are designed not to harm the predators. Also, some birds prey on salmon, especially on small salmon, and we in the same way we have nets above the pens to protect the welfare of our salmon. Measures to ensure protection of our salmon against predators without harming the predators, are included in our operational plans and standards for each farming site.

However, sometimes there are unintentional interactions with wildlife. These are registered and reported. In rare situation, we have to take out a predator to secure the health and welfare of our fish when there are no other efficient measured to avoid attacks. This is the last resort, and where intentional killings is not prohibited, each incident requires approval from authorities. Interactions with wildlife are registered and reported. See detailed information in our most recent sustainability report.

Some of our farming sites are located in habitats for protected animals or animals on the red list of IUCN. This requires special attention from the management of the site including personnel engaged in transport to and from the sites. The ASC certification requires that there are no mortalities of endangered or red-listed marine mammals or birds as defined by IUCN or national endangered species list.

Our ambition is that all salmon thrive and grow until time for harvesting. However, there is a mortality during the production cycle. The survival rate for farmed salmon is tremendously high compared to nature. Which is nothing less than what should be expected. In nature, the survival rate is around 5%, while in our farming operations the annual survival rate is around 95%. Our goal is to increase that survival rate, but also ensure that our fish have good health and welfare. Hence, preventive fish health is a priority in our operations.

MORTALITY DURING PRODUCTION CYCLE

Mortality is registered at every site every day and reported for each region of the company. We calculate an annual rolling cumulative morality as a proportion of the estimated number of fish in the sea in the last 12 month of the year (adjusted for harvest, culling and all mortalities). This measurement is to adjust for short term variations and to enable to show longer term trends. 

There are many causes to mortality for example, smolt may have elevated physiological stress after being transferred to seawater, environmental situations as algae, jellyfish or bio toxins, disease, handling or mechanical treatment against sea lice, and predators. We measure mortality daily. We specify, register and report on the root cause into the following areas: transfer, predators, jellyfish and algae, environment, toxins, disease, handling, and sea lice management. 

It might happen that there is an acute mortality event. Such events and the causes of an event are immediately reported to authorities and actions according to our plans are initiated. Reason for acute mortality could be many but would most often be, sudden deterioration in the water quality or disease outbreak. Also, storms may cause acute mortality events. Such events are commented on in the annual sustainability report.

We have defined mortality categories and register all mortalities. Based on this we work on specific mortality reducing programs in each part of our operations addressing the local situation. All regions have plans for preventive fish health measures to increase fish survival. Numbers and causes of all mortality is analysed and reported both internally and to authorities.

TRANSPORT AND HARVEST
Standards and procedures for transport of live fish aim to secure the health and welfare of the fish during loading, transport and unloading. Basic is that equipment for example pumps, speed, and flow of water must be designed to not harm the fish, this includes that the pumps used have suitable speed and flow and are designed not to injury the fish. In the well boats used for transporting live fish, maintaining the water quality (oxygen and pH) and the speed is key for not stressing the fish. Cameras allows monitoring the fish behaviour during transport and there is always an action plan for eventual situation if welfare degrades during transport. Stocking density for our fish in well boats are determined by the boats technology to control the water quality parameters, and if the fish shows sign of disease specific rules set by authorities applies for transport. Not all fish are transported by well boats. Parts of our production is harvested cage side in specialized boats for this.

The goal is that salmon has a good life until the end, and the humane slaughter process is designed for this. Cermaq applies stun-kill method and all of our salmon (Atlantic & Coho) across all our operations in Norway, Canada and Chile are stunned by automated percussive blow prior to slaughtering (which consists of gill gut/exsanguination). If automated percussive stunning should fail for any individual salmon – Cermaq implements a back-up method of semi-automatic percussive stun by trained staff, to ensure that these fish are humanely stunned and killed prior to processing.

We believe a company which openly reports its results has a stronger basis for dialogue with stakeholders, developing trust and a better ability to actually make progress on material topics. There are many public sources for detailed information about our farming practices and performance on how we care for our fish, including:

-Cermaq’s Sustainability report 
-Global Salmon Initiative’s Sustainability report
-Barentswatch
-BC Salmon Farmers Association
-Proyecto Pincoy
-Norwegian Fishery Directorate

From our operations in Chile and Norway our salmon come with a CV, providing our customers with further detailed information for the salmon in the actual delivery, including :
- Production site
- When the egg was hatched
- When the smolt was transferred to sea and what the sea temperature was at that time
- Name of site manager and the veterinarian/aqua medicine expert responsible for fish health
- List of all vaccines and date of vaccination
- Date and type of any eventual treatment the fish has undergone (sea lice treatment and medication)
- Feed types specified throughout the growth period.
- Density in the pen
- Condition factor (the shape of the fish is related to the yield in processing)