A SalmonBusiness story racked up 600,000 views on Facebook last week: Lessons for the industry.
Last week, a SalmonBusiness story about Jakob Clausen—a fifth-generation fishmonger in Denmark who called for a boycott of farmed salmon—generated more than 600,000 views on Facebook. It was a feat many PR firms only dream of: he went viral, or at least something approaching it in the world of farmed salmon news.
In a social media statement that quickly gained traction, Clausen, a board member of Denmark’s Fish Traders Association, made headlines by denouncing farmed salmon as “unfit for human consumption.” Clausen declared his decision to remove farmed salmon entirely from the shelves of his Aarhus-based shop, P. Clausen’s Fishmongers.
The post, shared widely across platforms, was as much a call to action as it was a statement of personal conviction. Clausen criticized the farming industry for what he described as unsustainable practices, poor fish welfare standards, and environmental harm, concluding that the product could no longer meet his or his customers’ expectations for quality. “I cannot, in good conscience, continue to sell a product that I believe fails the standards of ethical and sustainable food production,” Clausen stated.
The comments sparked a fierce debate online and within the seafood industry, drawing both support and sharp criticism. While some praised Clausen for taking a bold ethical stance, others pointed to the necessity of farmed salmon in meeting global demand for affordable protein. Clausen’s remarks and subsequent actions highlight the growing divide between advocates for traditional fishing and proponents of aquaculture as a sustainable alternative.
His stance wasn’t just dramatic; it was personal, passionate, and, most importantly, it got people talking. But as the clicks and comments piled up, something became clear: this wasn’t just a story about one man and his principles. It was a story about an industry grappling with its image, its critics, and its future.
Villain or Visionary?
Clausen’s decision to go public with his boycott—and accept the consequences, including his removal from the Danish Fishmongers’ Association board—has divided opinions. To some, he’s a petty agitator in a niche debate., spouting dated clichés about the horrors of aquaculture. To others, he’s a folk hero, speaking uncomfortable truths in a world of polished corporate euphemisms.
Yet what stands out isn’t whether Clausen is right or wrong but how profoundly his story resonated. In an era of sanitized corporate messaging, here was a man who sounded real. The industry may disagree with his conclusions, but it should take note of his methods. Authenticity sells—whether it’s salmon or outrage.
A Wake-Up Call for the Industry
What struck me, reading through the thousands of Facebook comments, was just how deeply misunderstood aquaculture remains. People talked about “factory fish,” “toxic feed,” and “polluted oceans” with a fervor that suggests these aren’t fringe views—they’re mainstream.
For an industry that prides itself on scientific advances and sustainability initiatives, this should be a cause for alarm. If you’re producing the UK’s biggest food export, valued in the billions, and the public still thinks you’re the villain in a dystopian environmental fable, something has gone terribly wrong.
The lesson here is brutally simple: the industry has a PR problem. It’s not enough to be sustainable; you have to make people believe it.
The Social Media Battleground
What makes Clausen’s story fascinating isn’t just its content but its trajectory. Facebook, often dismissed as a digital backwater for political rants and cat videos, became a battleground for the future of salmon farming. Critics and defenders of aquaculture clashed in the comments, turning a simple article into a public referendum on the industry’s practices.
This is the new reality for businesses in every sector: your story isn’t just told by you. It’s told by your customers, your critics, and anyone with a smartphone and an opinion. If you’re not actively engaging on these platforms—explaining, defending, even debating—you’re not just losing control of the narrative; you’re surrendering it entirely.
The Human Factor
Let’s not forget what made Clausen’s story resonate in the first place: him. His passion, his commitment to his customers, his frustration—all of this came through loud and clear.
The salmon farming sector has plenty of data, plenty of innovation, and plenty of success stories. But it often lacks faces—real, relatable people who can speak to the public with the same clarity and conviction as Clausen. If the industry wants to win over skeptics, it needs more than facts; it needs storytellers.
Opportunity in Crisis
Here’s the irony: while Clausen’s boycott was meant as an indictment of farmed salmon, it also underscores its potential. His complaints—about transparency, sustainability, and trust—are precisely the areas where aquaculture is making strides. Land-based farming, RAS technology, improved feed formulations—these aren’t just innovations; they’re answers.
The industry should embrace moments like this, not shy away from them. Use the controversy to showcase progress. Engage with critics, not defensively, but constructively. Acknowledge the challenges and demonstrate how you’re solving them.
A Future Worth Fighting For
The truth is, the world needs aquaculture. With wild fish stocks under pressure and global food security at risk, sustainable farming isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential. But if the public doesn’t understand that, or worse, doesn’t trust you, then all the science and innovation in the world won’t matter.
Clausen’s viral moment may have been a headache for the industry, but it was also a gift: a chance to listen, to learn, and to do better. The question is whether aquaculture will seize it.
