Compassion launches second Salmon Welfare Scorecard

Today, we launched the second edition of our Salmon Welfare Scorecard, now expanded to assess the public policies of 11 major producers against 13 key welfare parameters.

Measuring Salmon Producers' Policies

The Scorecard is designed to incentivise salmon producers to improve their practices by providing a transparent and objective assessment of salmon welfare across their business.

This edition includes new evaluations for Camanchaca, MultiX and Scottish Seafarms, alongside Aquachile, Bakkafrost, Cermaq, Cooke, Grieg Seafood, Leroy, Mowi and Salmar who were included in the 2023 Scorecard.

Together, these producers account for 63% of global farmed salmon production, making the Scorecard a representative snapshot of industry standards.

Positive Trends and Areas of Concern

Encouragingly, 62% of the producers assessed have improved their reporting and policies on salmon welfare compared to last year, with progress noted across all parameters. However, there is still significant room for further progress. For example, transparency and reporting around Genetics and Humane Slaughter has significantly improved compared to 2023, with producers like Bakkafrost and Camanchaca leading the improvement on Genetics.

However, significant gaps remain. Many producers still fail to disclose policies on Genetics, raising concerns about the potential use of controversial practices such as cloning, genetic engineering or the use of triploids.

Reporting on other critical welfare issues – Transport and Transfer, Stocking Density, Enclosures, and Sea Lice management – also remains poor, indicating substantial room for improvement.

Producers must act to improve salmon welfare

Commenting on the Scorecard’s findings, Louise Valducci, Compassion in World Farming’s Head of Food Business, said: “The Salmon Welfare Scorecard was designed to promote greater transparency for consumers and investors, and it has been well received as a tool to identify areas where the industry must invest and act to address welfare challenges.

While some progress has been made, the industry still falls short in fully embracing transparent reporting of welfare policies and practices. Greater openness, including the sharing of positive developments, could significantly strengthen relationships with stakeholders.

Each year, over 400 million salmon are farmed globally, yet the industry continues to face criticism for failing to implement effective welfare solutions to issues such as high stocking densities, mortality rates, and barren environments that lack mental stimulation for fish. With growing social and investor pressures, producers must prioritise these concerns, adopt welfare-focused policies, and be proactive in sharing their progress.

The Scorecard provides clear direction for addressing these challenges, but it is ultimately up to the industry to collaborate, invest, and take collective action to improve salmon welfare.”

Looking ahead

The Scorecard aims to provide a clear framework for producers and retailers to improve salmon welfare, enabling them to report transparently and reward better practices. By doing so, it seeks to improve the lives of millions of farmed salmon worldwide.

Compassion plans to release the next iteration of the Scorecard in late 2026, making it a biannual report. This extended timeline will allow us to build on our engagement with the industry, provide producers with time to respond to the findings and implement new policies, and ensure the tool continues to evolve, remaining both current and challenging.

Learn more about the Salmon Welfare Scorecard and explore our fish welfare resources to help you improve your salmon welfare policies – or contact us today!