To achieve our goal of becoming the world's most efficient and sustainable seafood supplier, we must work in in alignment with the fish and their needs.
Our operations are based on three pillars:
More specifically, here's how we work:
We use high-quality fish feed designed to provide essential nutrients to the fish and promote good health. We collaborate closely with our feed suppliers to drive innovation in sustainable and health-promoting feed.
Technology and data collection provide us with the knowledge we need to make informed decisions. We have sensors and environmental monitoring at all our facilities to track the well-being of the fish. Additionally, many of our facilities have advanced monitoring and data collection systems that continuously provide us with data on fish health and other welfare indicators.
Early detection of any problems allows for swift intervention and necessary actions.
Maintaining water quality is crucial to ensuring a clean and healthy environment for the fish. Our land-based and sea-based locations are equipped with technology that monitors water temperature, oxygen levels, and water flow 24 hours a day.
Lerøy works systematically and purposefully to increase the robustness of our fish. Our main focus in this effort is to produce more robust fish during the early stages of their lives when they are in freshwater on land, making them more robust when they are released into the sea.
We have implemented several measures in breeding and production processes, including improved selection of broodstock and enhancements in roe production.
We take great care to keep groups of fish separated and implement measures at all stages of the fish's life to maximize the chances of them staying healthy. We work on disease management with a focus on prevention. Vaccination is a key part of our program, and we vaccinate 100 per cent of our fish before they are released into the sea.
Optimal use of locations is crucial to ensuring good fish health. Lerøy has been a driving force for improving location structures in areas where we are established for several years. Minor adjustments to existing locations and access to new, more suitable locations are critical in many coastal areas.
These changes have been challenging to implement, and we look forward to continued cooperation with authorities to improve location structures and make the most of existing locations.
Salmon lice are a natural parasite in seawater and one of the industry's biggest challenges. Lerøy works to prevent and control salmon lice levels, but sometimes we need to treat the fish.
In these cases, we strive to do it as gently as possible to ensure good fish welfare and maximize survival. Lerøy is committed to reducing the number of lice treatments to a minimum, which we believe will have a significant impact on fish health in the future.
Lerøy has made significant investments in nearshore production technology in recent years. A combination of submerged and semi-closed cages is now being deployed at selected Lerøy Midt and Lerøy Sjøtroll locations. We believe this will have a positive impact on fish health and reduce lice pressure.
These cages are submerged below lice levels in the sea, providing protection for the fish. Our goal is for 20% of salmon to be in protective technology by the beginning of 2024.
Throughout the value chain, we focus on the fish and what we can do to ensure they have the best possible conditions. We provide the fish with calmness throughout the production. When the fish need to be treated for illness, it is done as gently as possible to minimize stress and strain on the fish.
All fish that are euthanized during production, or harvested at the factory are anesthetized in advance with approved methods.
We actively participate in research and development to improve our practices related to fish health and welfare. We collaborate with research institutions, suppliers, and industry partners to explore new ways to enhance fish welfare and sustainability.
Lerøy provides ongoing training to employees to ensure they understand and practice the best methods for safeguarding good fish welfare, including the needs of different fish species. Employees are also trained in internal procedures for fish handling.
We are transparent about our practices related to fish welfare and seek third-party certifications like Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) to demonstrate our commitment to responsible aquaculture and good fish welfare.
Read more: Our certifications
We are committed to sustainable aquaculture and to strict environmental standards to minimize our impact on the marine ecosystem. Ensuring that our fish live in a good environment is crucial for their well-being.
Lerøy has numerous quality assurance mechanisms to ensure that fish not suitable for human consumption are sorted out. This means that the products sold in stores are of high quality and safe for consumers.
