Where Farmed Salmon Comes From

It’s the dirty secret of consumers’ love affair with Atlantic salmon: Almost all of it is grown in sea cages beneath the surface of the ocean.

Over the past 50-plus years, open net-pen aquaculture has become one of the most widely used methods for farming fish, particularly salmon, to meet the growing global demand for seafood.

We can trace its rise back to the 1960s and '70s, when technological advancements allowed fish farmers to raise large numbers of salmon in floating pens anchored in coastal waters. Norway, Scotland and Canada were sea-cage pioneers, using their abundant coastlines and cold, nutrient-rich waters to support salmon farming.¹

These early systems were hailed as a solution to overfishing, offering an alternative to wild-caught fish.

Throughout the 1980s and '90s, the industry expanded rapidly, with operations spreading to countries such as Chile, the U.S. and Australia. Salmon farming became a global enterprise, with companies competing to produce fish more efficiently and economically. Advances in feed technology, disease management, and breeding programs helped the industry scale up, making farmed salmon one of the most widely consumed seafood products in the world.²

But as the industry grew, so did concerns about its environmental impact.

While open net-pen aquaculture has created jobs and economic opportunities in rural and coastal communities, it has also sparked conflicts. Many communities, conservation groups and local fishers have voiced concerns about the industry’s impact on traditional livelihoods, wild fish stocks and the health of ecosystems.

Sea cages, which are placed directly in the ocean, allow waste, uneaten feed and chemicals such as antibiotics to flow into surrounding waters. Diseases and parasites, such as sea lice, can spread between farmed and wild fish populations. Escaped farmed fish pose additional risks, as they can interbreed with wild salmon, altering genetic diversity.³

In recent years, the industry has faced mounting pressure to adopt more sustainable practices. Governments, environmental organizations and consumers have called for alternatives such as land-based, closed-containment systems. Some companies have begun investing in these technologies, though high costs and technical challenges remain obstacles to widespread adoption.⁴