Can salmon farming adapt further to improve its environmental performance?
Aquaculture producers are legitimate users of the aquatic resources, and take a very conscious, responsible approach towards environmental management. Since aquaculture operations rely on high quality aquatic resources, producers have a direct interest in promoting and maintaining the quality and integrity of the aquatic environment. There have already been major achievements towards responsible environmental management within the aquaculture industry. For instance, improved feed conversion ratios (FCR), disease management programs and husbandry practices contribute towards environmental sustainability. For instance, the FCR for salmon was about 5 kg feed/kg of salmon in the 1970s and today is approximately 1.2 kg feed/kg today. Producers and processors constantly aim to further improve the efficiency of their operations by adhering to quality standards that include assessments of environmental performance. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
