Farmed salmon has a lower climate footprint than meat

When calculating the climate footprint per nutrient content instead of per kilo, the farmed salmon has the lowest climate footprint, due to its high nutritional content.

The state-owned RISE Research Institutes of Sweden has made a scientific compilation on various aspects of farmed salmon on behalf of the Sweden Seafood Association (FR). One of the report's purposes is to provide a current picture of the research situation on how climate-smart it is to eat farmed salmon. The report shows that farmed salmon has a lower climate footprint than other European animal products.

RISE’s report states that Norwegian farmed salmon has a lower climate footprint than animals produced in Europe and a much lower climate footprint than Swedish beef. On the other hand, the salmon's climate footprint is slightly higher than Swedish chicken and pork.

– When calculating the climate footprint per nutrient content instead of per kilo, the farmed salmon has the lowest climate footprint, due to its high nutritional content. Several of the nutrients we consume by eating salmon, such as vitamin D, iodine, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids, are not found at all or in lower levels in other foods, says Friederike Ziegler, RISE scientist and one of the report's authors.

The composition and amount of the feed determine the climate footprint of the farmed salmon. About 30 percent of the feed fed to the Norwegian salmon comes from marine raw materials such as fishmeal and fish oil, the other 70 percent consists of vegetable ingredients such as soy, sunflowers, rapeseed, corn, broad beans, and wheat.

– There are many claims and opinions about farmed salmon. That is why RISE's research report is extra important. It is also gratifying that farmed salmon stands strong in terms of climate in relation to other animals. Currently, only one in three Swedes eat seafood in line with the National Food Administration's recommendations two to three times a week. If more Swedes were to change the steak to salmon more often, it would be good for both the climate and our health, says Krishan Kent, chairman of the Sweden Seafood Association.

Read the reserach report HERE.

^{Source: Fiskbranchens Riksförbund}