Fish Farms: Turning Salmon Into Swanky Prisoners Since 1970s
KEY POINTS
- •In recent decades, fish farming has transformed seafood production, now supplying over half of the world's seafood.
- •Unlike land animals, fish have been domesticated rapidly, raising significant welfare concerns, particularly for salmon.
- •Salmon, which naturally migrate long distances, are confined to small tanks and fed pellets on farms.
In a whirlwind domestication sprint rivaling a gold medalist’s dash, humanity went from fishing to "factory farming" over 763 billion fish annually by 2022, with salmon starring in this aquatic circus. Norway's Mowi churned out 2.8 million metric tons of farmed salmon (560 million individuals) who never left their ocean net apartments after a year on land tanks. Missing migration and historic epic hunts for krill in the Labrador Sea, these captive carnivores now gulp pellets in tiny cages, stunting not only their swims but agency, as NYU’s Becca Franks sadly notes. Who knew salmon jail was the newest dietary trend for young American foodies?
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(1 of 3)Congrats to salmon for getting faster domesticated than your favorite dog breed, but trapped in tanks and forced to eat pellets like aquatic inmates. Swimming epic miles out? More like circling the social anxiety clubhouse forever. #FishFactoryLife
You thought speeding through human years was impressive? Try domestication 100x faster—and with none of the roaming freedom. Salmon, meet your tiny cage home. Have fun swimming in circles, folks.
Welcome to Farmed Salmon 2.0: Less wild epic migration, more pellet-powered tiny tank routines. At 560 million strong, these fish are the true unsung marathon runners in swimming jail.
Source: Vox | Published: 11/13/2025 | Author: Kenny Torrella
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