Why Now is the Time to Take Ocean-Farmed Salmon Off The Table

In recent weeks, ocean-farmed salmon has swum back into the spotlight — and into the headlines. In September 2026, the Off The Table campaign from Wildfish published an open letter signed by over 120 chefs around the world, all pledging to take ocean-farmed salmon off the menu. Following this, the Financial Times broke a controversial story about European salmon farms beginning to feed chicken industry by-products to their fish, raising concerns about the ethics of doing so and sparking fresh debate about what sustainable food production should look like for a growing global population.

As we unpacked in a previous article, open-ocean salmon farms create a plethora of environmental and ethical problems. These systems are key contributors ti the destruction of marine ecosystems, pose a very real threat to already-struggling populations of wild salmon, and exploit the very stocks of wild fish that aquaculture claims to be protecting. Inside these farms, conditions are often grim. Fish are commonly overcrowded and plagued by disease and sea lice, with premature deaths far too frequent. Yet, the idea that farmed salmon is a healthy, sustainable choice still persists.

Read: Is There Such a Thing As Sustainable Salmon?

In this update, we highlight the most persistent myths about ocean-farmed salmon, outline why it’s never a sustainable choice and explain how chefs and restaurants can play a pivotal role in ending this destructive practice.

What are the biggest misconceptions around salmon?

Most people think that salmon is a sustainable choice, but this is frequently far from the case.

Here, Neville Crabbe, VP of Communications & Special Projects at the Atlantic Salmon Federation, breaks down some of the myths that persist around ocean-farmed salmon, most of which have their origins in clever marketing rather than day-to-day reality.

• Atlantic salmon is a natural choice. “In fact, 99% of Atlantic salmon on the market is farmed in ocean sea cages,” says Neville. “Farmed Atlantic salmon is a selectively bred commercial product. It’s not the same as wild Atlantic salmon, which is endangered in the US and threatened globally.”

• Ocean-farmed salmon is naturally pink and raised in clean waters. “The conditions in these fish farms are overcrowded and waste-filled, with the salmon often living with sea lice and disease. Farmed salmon also has more fat than wild salmon.” Because farmed salmon doesn’t have the same diet as wild, it’s even a different colour. “Its flesh is naturally grey,” says Neville. The ocean-farmed salmon are fed added astaxanthin (typically synthetic) to mimic the colour that wild salmon get naturally from shrimp and krill.

• The label suggests it's sustainable. “Terms like ‘responsibly raised’ and ‘ocean-raised’ are often greenwashing,” Neville observes. Even organic certification is not as stringent as consumers may expect when it comes to salmon; these farms use the same open-cage production method as uncertified farms, with waste discharging directly into the surrounding environment, and the fish can still be treated with antibiotics and pesticides (albeit in limited amounts). It’s also not universally applicable, used for salmon only in Europe.

• Where it's farmed matters. “Menus lean on pristine-sounding places like Chile or Iceland — but if it's ocean-farmed, anywhere, the problem is the same,” Neville says.

• Salmon has always been on the menu. Yes, wild Atlantic salmon has been a part of human diets for thousands of years — but it was historically a strictly seasonal food tied solely to natural river runs, peaking in late spring through summer. For cultures on both sides of the ocean, this was a much-awaited moment in the annual calendar. Industrial food production has completely rewritten our relationship with this fish. “The industry manufactured today's year-round demand,” says Neville. “Now, it meets it by introducing more ocean farms that harm wild populations.”

• It's a victimless supply chain. This is far from the truth. “Sea cages are a major contributor to the decline in populations of wild Atlantic salmon,” says Neville. “They also pollute oceans and create food insecurity.” With cramped and dirty conditions common within the farms and little consideration given to animal welfare, the salmon themselves are also victims.

Is there such a thing as ‘sustainable’ ocean-farmed salmon?

Unfortunately, the short answer is no. As Neville outlines, the problems come from the sea cage model itself.

• It's an open system. “Cages sit in the water, allowing waste, chemicals, parasites and disease to leak straight into surrounding ecosystems.”

• Ocean farming causes direct harm to wild salmon. “Sea lice and disease can spread to wild fish,” Neville explains. “Cages can also break, and escaped farmed fish interbreed with wild populations, causing genetic pollution. Numbers of wild Atlantic salmon have dropped by roughly 80% since the 1970s, and ocean salmon farming is a serious contributor to that decline.”

• The feed math doesn't work. As large, carnivorous predators, salmon are particularly feed-intensive to rear to full size. Neville explains that it takes about 440 wild fish, ground into feed, to produce one market-size farmed salmon. “That pulls food from vulnerable communities, increasing food insecurity.”

• The animals suffer at a staggering scale. “Roughly 865 million ocean-farmed salmon died before harvest between 2012 and 2022, including in mass asphyxiation events, disease and lice outbreaks, and severe storms that batter the captive animals,” Neville shares.

• Without evidence to back it up, 'sustainable’ is just a marketing claim. “It's not a verified outcome, which is why we say the relationship isn't sustainable,” he says.

What role can chefs and restaurants play in changing this system?

“Chefs are cultural tastemakers, and they sit between food producers and the consumer. When they take ocean-farmed salmon off the menu, it signals the issue is real and increases consumer awareness,” says Neville. “Over 400 prominent chefs have pledged to take ocean-farmed salmon Off The Table, including Alice Waters, Dan Barber and Francis Mallmann. Mallmann stopped using farmed salmon in 2013 and has worked since to prevent new farming areas.” Many of these chefs are already proving that this is doable for any type of hospitality business, even at scale.

Chefs and restaurants also play an important role in consumer education, helping guests to understand the issues in a way that is approachable and, importantly, showing them that there are plenty of delicious alternatives — a strong strategy for creating change. “Chefs and restaurants lead from the top down, and informed consumers push from the bottom up. Together, they influence retailers and shift demand,” Neville explains.

So, how can chefs get started?

THE BARE MINIMUM: STOP BUYING OCEAN-FARMED SALMON.

• Closed-containment systems pose fewer risks to wild fish and to marine ecosystems, but it’s important to view these as a lower-impact option, not a perfect alternative. They often carry some of the same sustainability and animal welfare issues, and the salmon reared in these systems still demand the same resources when it comes to feed.

• Closed land-based systems (RAS) are the best option for farmed salmon, as they are completely isolated from natural bodies of water, but again, the same feed requirements apply.

BEST PRACTICE: TAKE SALMON #OFFTHETABLE ENTIRELY.

Even closed aquaculture systems have their issues, and wild salmon populations are under threat — so best practice is to stop serving salmon altogether.

• Look for a local, responsibly-produced alternative. In the UK, for example, ChalkStream Trout is a good option that can be cooked in the same ways and used in the same dishes.

• Serve other certified, sustainably caught wild fish, always relying on regional experts to ensure that you’re sourcing from healthy stocks in your area.  

• Choose smaller fish to reduce your impact. Smaller fish (like anchovies, sardines and herring) are lower on the food chain and provide the same healthy fats with a lower impact, while bivalves like mussels, clams and oysters are environmentally positive ingredients with fantastic flavour.

SPREAD THE WORD

• As Neville mentioned above, it’s critical to bring your customers along with you on this journey — not only to educate them about salmon farming, but to help them understand that this is an important point of difference for your restaurant.

• Frame this as a benefit to diners, emphasising the flavour, texture and provenance of the seafood dishes you are offering, rather than focusing on the absence of ocean-farmed salmon.

• Provide clear communication through your website, social media and/or menus explaining why you’ve made the responsible decision to take ocean-farmed salmon off the table, and train your front-of-house teams so that they’re confident talking to diners about this.

What is Off The Table?

Off The Table is a coalition campaign coordinated by WildFish, an independent charity working to protect wild fish populations and the ecosystems that depend on them. The campaign raises awareness of the environmental impacts of ocean salmon farming and supports chefs, restaurants and consumers in shifting toward seafood and production methods that do not carry the same ecological costs. It advocates for a food system that makes better choices accessible across communities, menus and price points. Learn more at Off The Table and WildFish.

This campaign brings together a group of influential organisations, including the Atlantic Salmon Federation, North Atlantic Salmon Fund, Protect Maine, Living Oceans, Patagonia Provisions, LOOP Tackle and the Global Salmon Farming Resistance, that are deeply invested in protecting the fragile ecosystems that salmon and countless other species depend on. Off The Table is partnering with chefs on this initiative by providing them with information about ocean farming, consumer education and practical seafood alternatives

In September 2026, the campaign published an open letter signed by over 120 chefs around the world who have pledged to take ocean-farmed salmon off the menu (read the full letter here). This list included some names from our Food Made Good network, such as Chefs Ángel León, Chantelle Nicholson, Elena Reygadas, Josh Niland, Peter Tempelhoff and Massimo Falsini. Learn more about the campaign on their website, follow along on Instagram or you can take the pledge yourself here.

If you’re looking for more inspiration on best-practice hospitality, don't miss our 2026-27 global sustainability insights report, “Hospitality Rising: Global Challenges, Local Solutions”. Exploring the latest trends and influences shaping the sector, it’s packed with examples of smart sustainability initiatives from businesses of all shapes and sizes across the world. Download your free copy now! 

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