‘Did health and welfare disappear on the road to success?’
Edgar Brun, Academic Director of Fish Health and Welfare at the Veterinary Institute, delivered a blunt assessment of the state of fish health in modern aquaculture at the North Atlantic Seafood Forum (NASF) on Wednesday, calling out the industry’s self-righteousness, poor crisis management, and reluctance to engage with critics.
Brun, a veterinarian with a doctorate in epidemiology, has worked in fish health since the late 1980s, from private health services in Vesterålen to leading international projects through WOAH, FAO, and Norad. He now leads a team focused on international collaboration in aquaculture health and welfare.
“Aquaculture is overtaking the oil industry, and salmon is the world’s favorite fish—this is one narrative,” Brun said. “The second narrative is one of diseases, welfare issues, and winter wounds. We had this brilliant product, and now the media is full of the opposite.”
An Industry in Its ‘Late Teens’
Brun compared aquaculture to an immature industry, or at least one in its late teenage years.
“Very rich, and we all know how teens with a lot of money behave.”
He criticized the industry’s lobbying power and its dismissive approach to handling challenges.
“It has a low ability to listen and meet critics in a positive way. It fails to admit challenges and is often dismissive in its communication.”
Predictable Problems, Avoidable Mistakes
Brun highlighted the industry’s reactive approach to sea lice, pointing out that outbreaks follow predictable seasonal patterns, yet the response remains panicked and disorganized.
“Sea lice are very easy to predict, and still, they react like it’s a surprise when the temperature increases.”
He also raised concerns over legal battles delaying action on health issues, remarking that:
“It seems that lawyers are one of the highest risk factors for disease spread.”
While the industry continues to expand, Brun’s message was clear: its ability to confront challenges with transparency, accountability, and scientific rigor will determine whether salmon farming can truly claim its place as a sustainable success story.
