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We strive to make sure that all our fish thrive and are free from disease, stress and suffering. We have a clear strategy for salmon lice management with the aim of improving fish welfare and reducing mortality, both in the long and short term. Our strategy for sea lice management include five different categories of measures, each with its pros and cons. Every site has its own unique strategy, adapted to the local site conditions.
All our fish shall be vaccinated against the most important fish diseases.
Eide aims to always have less than 0.1 mature sea lice per fish and not to use more than one medicinal treatment against lice per cycle.
Eide shall phase out the use of cleaner fish in the long term and minimize the use of non-medicinal treatment methods that require handling of the fish.
All Eide's facilities shall hold independent environmental certification from either Global GAP, Debio, or ASC.
Many of the challenges within this topic can be traced back to the challenges of handling salmon lice. The salmon louse is a parasite that exists naturally in the ocean and that only lives on salmonid species. Since there are many farmed salmon compared to wild salmon this will increase the infection pressure if farmers do not take measures to keeping the number of lice low. To prevent this, there are strict limits on how many lice there can be per fish. However, treatments to keep the lice away can be stressful and potentially harm the fish. Many of the alternative treatment methods have other challenges. Using medicals lead to drug resistance and may impact the environment, while using cleaner fish brings its own fish welfare issues.
In addition to sea lice, fish diseases are also an important focus area. Sea lice can affect outbreaks of disease, both through the spread of infection and because the lice weaken the fish's immune system. However, diseases can also spread from hatchery fish and broodstock to sea farms, and between sea farms, either by boat traffic or ocean currents. Therefore, biosecurity is very important.
Eide has a continuous focus on fish health and welfare and has, among other things, appointed its own veterinarian with responsibility for fish health and welfare. All our facilities are subject to inspections and audits by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and use external fish health services. All facilities are certified according to Global GAP, a standard that also covers topics related to fish health and welfare.
We aim to handle the sea lice primarily through preventive measures. These measures are normally better for both the fish and the environment. However, succeeding with preventive measures are challenging, and a wide range of different measures are needed, all of which require significant investments, knowledge and experience.
We use a combination of genetics, feed, larger smolts, lice tarpaulins, snorkel cages and closed cages to prevent lice infestations. During recent years Eide invested heavily in preventive measures. In 2023 we will complete the construction of a RAS-facility for production of large smolts through Ænes Inkubator AS. We also invested in snorkel cages, closed cages in the sea, sensors and data.
When preventive measures alone is not sufficient, we also use cleaner fish. The cleaner fish is one of natures own delicers, where different fish species have adapted to feed on lice from the salmon. Using cleaner fish has no negative consequences for the salmon, but it is challenging to ensure good conditions for the cleaner fish, and a large share of the cleaner fish die in the cage.
When using wild caught cleaner fish we also need to consider the population of these species. Using cleaner fish is still a necessary tool in a sea lice management strategy. However, we aim to reduce the number of cleaner fish used and eventually phase out the use completely. Until this is possible, we will focus on improving the conditions for the cleaner fish. The cleaner fish has hiding and resting space in the cage and is given its own feed.
When this is also insufficient, we use non-medical treatments using either freshwater or tempered water. These methods does not impact the environment, but it is stressful for the fish to be handled and treated. A high share of the fish mortality in the industry can be traced back to this category of lice treatment measures. These environmentally friendly measures are an important tool in a sea lice management strategy, but we work thoroughly to improve both the technology and the operations to make it better for the fish.
If non-medical treatment is not possible, medical treatment may be an option. The medicals are gentle to the fish, but the lice adapts fast and builds resistance to new drugs. Some of the medicines may also potentially have a negative impact on wild species and we want to minimize the use from a precautionary principle. In 2023, we have used two different medical products against lice, both added through the feed, this applies to the products Slice and Releeze. Slice contains the active ingredient Emamectin-benzoate, while releeze contains the active ingredient Diflubenzuron. Organisms that can potentially be negatively affected by flubenzurons are crustaceans (crab, shrimp, crayfish, lobster etc.). As a precautionary principle, treatments are not carried out during periods when crustaceans change their shells and are potentially vulnerable to flubenzurons.
All use of drug treatment against lice only takes place based on a prescription issued by a veterinarian or fish health biologist in line with the requirements of the Animal Health Personnel Act. In connection with the issuing of prescriptions, a thorough assessment is made of whether the use is safe, which includes both the effect on the surrounding environment in line with the requirements and regulations in the Operation of Aquaculture Facilities Act, an assessment of possible resistance to the medicine to ensure that the treatment will have sufficient effect and an assessment against food safety.
Early harvest is the last measure available and is used when other measures are not available e.g., due to fish welfare or environmental considerations.
We work systematically and thoroughly to ensure good fish welfare and to reduce mortality from every decision ranging from genetics, vaccines and feed to improving operations. The dead fish is examined and categorized, and the development is followed closely over time. Incidents that lead to increased mortality is reported to the Norwegian Food Safety Authorities. We also invest in large scale data capture using censors at our pens to continuously log parameters like salinity, oxygen and currents to help us improve and learn.
The three biggest contributors to mortality are lice treatments (non-medical treatments), winter wounds and fish diseases such as Pancreas Disease (PD) and cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS).
To reduce the mortality associated with lice treatment, we work along three dimensions, where the first and most important thing is to avoid treatment by preventing salmon lice. In addition, we work on improving the treatment operations to reduce the stress inflicted on the fish.
To reduce mortality from winter wounds, we use functional feed that will help strengthen the mucus layer on the fish. In addition, it is important to avoid handling such as treatment against lice, sorting or moving fish with wounds. The winter sore is caused by a bacterium and the sore heals naturally when the temperature in the water rises again towards spring. In order to reduce mortality linked to other diseases, we focus on using the latest available vaccines, as well as having a high focus on biosafety throughout the entire production.
After several years with large investments in preventive measures we have started to see a small decline in reactive measures against lice. However, this effect is partly offset by stricter permitted lice levels.
The use of cleaner fish increased in 2023 compared to 2022. The main reason for the increase is increased production of salmon.
The measures taken has resulted in a significant reduction in mortality compared to recent years. In our view, the improvement is mainly due to the continuous work and efforts from all our staff. In addition, the use of stun and bleed vessels and a reduction in the number of lice treatments has been important. Despite the significant improvement this year our goal it not reached, and some sites still experience a high mortality rate. We will continue the work and measures going forward to keep mortality low and to further advance towards our 5 % goal.
The use of drugs and chemicals has been greatly reduced over the past decade. Since 2016, bathing treatment against lice has not been carried out and the use of medicine added through the feed has also been greatly reduced compared to previous practice and is now at a stable low level.
The target of a maximum of one medical treatment against salmon lice per production cycle was reached in both 2022 and 2023. Antibiotics was not used on any Eide farms in 2023.
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We shall keep our negative impact on other species at a low and acceptable level.
We shall apply a precautionary approach if there is uncertainty about the potential negative impact from a new establishment on the local biodiversity.
Based on a precautionary principle we aim to minimize the use of drugs and chemicals in our production.
We shall seek to phase out the use of wild caught cleaner fish and we shall not use copper based anti-fouling.
We work systematically with risk assessment of operations, training and preventive maintenance and inspection of our equipment to prevent escape. All our facilities follow current technical standards.
Before an aquaculture facility is established, extensive investigations and impact assessments are carried out to ensure that facilities are not established in the vicinity of endangered species. After the plant has been established, regular investigations are carried out, among other things by taking samples on the seabed below the plant.
Eide does not have aquaculture facilities in or near protected areas. We are also not aware of other threatened species having important habitats near our facilities. There are several other fish species than wild Atlantic salmon that are threatened in the fjords and along the coast in Norway, among others eel, bream, skate, blue ling and redfish. We are not aware of salmon farming having a negative impact on them.
There are also a number of species other than fish that are threatened or vulnerable in our region, including birds, mammals, coral animals and crustaceans. Birds can be attracted to both feed and fish and there is a risk that birds can get stuck and be injured. We use bird nets on all facilities to protect both fish and birds and also use other measures such as bird lasers when necessary.
Eide is an active part of several different research programs for wild salmon and sea trout to help to increase the knowledge on impacts from salmon farming on wild salmon and the development in stocks, migration patterns and premature return of wild salmon and trout in our region. One of these is “SalmonTracking” which observes migration patterns and population development to wild salmon and sea trout using cameras, computer chip and radio marking, antennas in waterways and detection buoys in the fjord and coastal environments. The project records population developments and monitors migration patterns in ten rivers in the region and records premature migration in 40 rivers. Norwegian academic institutions such as UiB, UiS, UiT, NTNU, NMBU are part of the project.
We have contingency plans to minimize the damages of escapes if it occurs with storage of recapture nets and agreements with local fishermen that will ensure that we recapture as many escaped fish as possible. We are also member of the fish farming industry's association for the recapture of escaped farmed fish. The association aims to reduce the risk of genetic influence from aquaculture on wild populations of salmon fish by implementing measures in rivers where the impact of escaped fish is unacceptable.
Sea lice spreading from farmed to wild salmon has negative impact on the wild salmon and sea trout. A traffic light system shall act as an indicator of whether the impact from sea lice in fish farms on the wild fish is acceptable or not acceptable. Eide operate in two production areas (PO3 and PO4) which both has a red light in terms of potential impact on wild salmon. We work systematically to keep the sea lice levels on a low level by using a wide range of measures, (see more on this in the section on sea lice management for details) from preventive measures such as investing in capacity for larger smolts and applying tarpaulin skirts, to cleaner fish, non-medical treatment and medical treatments.
One important measure is to reduce the use of wild-caught cleaner fish, both out of concern for animal welfare for the cleaner fish, and out of a precautionary principle for potential negative impacts on wild populations of cleaner fish such as the Ballan wrasse. We focus on preventing salmon lice and have also started using farmed Ballan wrasse as an alternative to wild-caught, but these are still only available in small volumes.
The salmon is by nature a carnivorous fish and therefore need marine ingredients in the feed, typically fish oil and fish meal. These ingredients come partly from off-cuts and by-products, and partly from the use of whole fish that are either not suitable or attractive for direct human consumption. The marine ingredients supply important omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) that the salmon needs. We also use algae oil in our feed, as a source of Omega-3 and a substitute for fish oil. Production of fishmeal and -oil from wild fish have an impact on wild fish stocks. To minimize this, we buy our feed from recognized international feed suppliers who have established good routines to ensure that the fish come from sustainable fisheries and are either certified, or on the way to being certified, by international standards. The most used are MarinTrust and MSC. FIP and MarinTrust IP are improvement programs with the aim of certifying a fishery. Improvement programs are important to help ensure that developing countries with less regulated fisheries also have a realistic path to being able to sell their products on the world market. Despite these measures, there is no doubt that access to enough marine raw materials from sustainable sources is a major challenge for all aquaculture. This is one of the reasons why focus on new feed ingredients is needed.
Eide has not had any incidents resulting in escaped fish in 2023. Eide has been able to met the strict criteria for sustainable growth independent of the status of the area for eight of in total eleven sites and the average level of adult female lice on our sites has been at about the same level in 2023 as in previous years. Copper based anti-fouling has not been used at Eide sites.
A challenge is still that all the currently available lice treatment measures has their pros and cons. Medical treatments may increase the lice’s resistance to the drugs, while the non-medical may stress or be harmful to the fish. Cleaner fish is nature’s own treatment, but it is hard to provide good conditions for the cleaner fish in the cages, and the knowledge on wild cleaner fish stocks is limited. We therefore believe that cooperation, investment in new technology and big data will be key in solving this complex challenge.
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We shall have a responsible approach to the purchase of feed and require that our feed suppliers do not contribute to deforestation and the alteration of new land areas, especially in vulnerable countries and important natural areas such as rainforests. We will make independent choices for our feed and carry out our own investigations and audits when necessary.
Although the salmon is by nature a carnivore, we also need to use some plant-based raw materials in the feed. This is because marine ingredients such as fishmeal and oil are finite resources.
An important but controversial plant-based feed ingredient is soy. The use of soy has been important to reduce the dependency on fishmeal, since soy, when refined into soy protein concentrate (SPC), is a very good source of protein. Soy is also the most efficient plant we have in terms of yield per hectare. However, there are two challenges with using soy;
The first challenge concerns the fact that much of the soy used for fish feed comes from Brazil, which has had challenges with deforestation in the Amazon in recent years. Although all soy used in Norwegian salmon feed is certified as deforestation-free and GMO-free (Proterra certification), it is demanding for a company like Eide to ensure that we have good enough routines in this area, especially in times with political unrest and an unclear situation on the ground in Brazil. We have therefore chosen not to use soy from Brazil in our feed for the time being. As an alternative, we use a combination of European soy, wheat gluten and fishmeal. This has an extra cost for us but provides an additional assurance and comfort that salmon from Eide does not in any way contribute to rainforest deforestation.
The other challenge with soy is that it is a plant with many anti-nutrients which can be difficult for the salmon to digest. This is one of the reasons why SPC is used instead, and one of the reasons why we at our R&D company Norforsk are testing the use of fermented soy to make this ingredient better for the fish.
We also consider changes in the ecosystem when we prepare our greenhouse gas accounts. Any change of area from, for example, forest, wetlands or rainforest to agricultural land means that CO2 is released into the atmosphere. We require these one-off emissions due to the area changes to be included in the carbon footprint of the feed that our feed suppliers report to us. Normally, these one-off emissions are distributed over a period of 20 years after the area was converted. You can read more about this in our greenhouse gas accounts, or in the section on carbon footprint in this report.
Being certified as a carbon neutral company and offering carbon neutral salmon, we support various projects that will both reduce CO2 emissions and restore ecosystems. We have supported the Seneca Meadows project in the USA, which restores wetlands and produces electricity from methane gas that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere through leakage from a large landfill. We also support the forest conservation project Darkwoods in Canada to preserve critical ecosystems and prevent deforestation. This is part of what you support when you buy a certified carbon-neutral salmon from us.
We believe that the world must change the way we produce our food, especially intensive industrial agriculture, which also produces raw materials for our feed. That is why I am also a pilot customer for a project with regenerative agriculture in Northern England. This also contributed positively to the ecosystems in the area, especially for insects and pollinators. You can read more about this project under the section on soil health.
We also take part in a pilot with regenerative agriculture which cover a range of agricultural practices, some of which overlap with organic farming, and some of which goes far beyond. The main objective is to minimize soil disturbance, maintaining living roots, a continuous cover of the soil and increasing biodiversity above and below ground. Applying these practices also help improve other important issues besides soil health, such as biodiversity on the farm, water retention and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Even though the majority of the feed ingredients in organic salmon feed come from marine sources, there is still a significant share of plant-based ingredients. By producing organic salmon at some of our site we help boost the demand for organic farmed crops since only organically farmed crops can be used in the feed for our organic salmon. Crops that are farmed organically to not use chemical or synthetically produced pesticides or fertilizers. Organic agriculture is based on four principles:
We did not use any Brazilian soy in the feed for our salmon. In 2023 Eide purchased feed including wheat gluten produced with regenerative practices from pilot farmers in the UK. Wheat gluten is a good protein source that can substitute soy protein concentrate in the feed diet. The pilot project covered just over 1,500ha of land, producing about 8,200t wheat.
In addition to contributing to better soil health and sparking demand for crops farmed using regenerative practices, we where also able to reduce our scope 3 (indirect) GHG emissions from feed in 2023 by 4.3 per cent through the project.
Both organically grown crops and crops grown using regenerative practices still have a higher cost compared to conventional, industrial agriculture.
