Atlantic salmon are native to large areas of the North Atlantic, a habitat that also hosts a relatively large and expanding salmon aquaculture industry. Many ICES Member Countries now face the challenge of balancing a growing aquaculture industry with protecting their wild fish and shellfish populations. 

The challenges posed by fisheries and aquaculture are similar: how can these industries be managed sustainably? ICES works to support sustainable marine resource use in the North Atlantic, and for decades we have provided advice to support the management of sustainable wild fisheries from the Arctic to the Strait of Gibraltar for more than 250 stocks of fish and shellfish.

ICES advice on wild fisheries is supported by a diverse scientific network using the best available, independent evidence and peer review, and it is agreed by consensus among ICES Member Countries. ICES brings this same capacity, expertise, and capability to marine aquaculture. 

To support management decision-making, the Icelandic government requested ICES to review their Genetic Intrusion Risk Assessment Framework (GIRAF) - a tool that helps managers understand how many farmed salmon can be safely raised in net pens without risking unwanted genetic mixing with wild populations. Developed in 2017 with international expertise, GIRAF estimates two key risks: the chance that escaped farmed salmon will swim into Icelandic rivers, and the likelihood that escapees mix with wild salmon.

To address this special request for advice, ICES hosted the Workshop on the Genetic Intrusion Risk Assessment Framework for salmon aquaculture (WKGIRAF) featuring reviews by world-renowned experts from Norway, Canada, Ireland, and beyond. A diverse group of stakeholders participated, including government ministries, research institutes, the aquaculture industry, proprietors of wild salmon fisheries, salmon anglers, and conservationists, as well as scientists with substantial expertise in the general area of Atlantic salmon management and in particular, interactions between wild salmon and escaped farm salmon farm salmon.

Risk assessment frameworks, such as the GIRAF, are critical tools to support the regulation of salmon aquaculture operations. WKGIRAF assessed data collection and processing, asking if current monitoring efforts were sufficient. The current model was challenged in its accounting for local realities, mitigation measures were reviewed, uncertainty was discussed. The resulting advice is now available in ICES library.

Aquaculture advice 

Currently, food production from wild fisheries and aquaculture in European waters is insufficient to meet demand. Wild capture fisheries in EU waters have remained relatively stable in recent decades, while aquaculture production has grown substantially. Recent data from UNFAO show that 19% of the total EU aquatic food production came from aquaculture. As growth in aquaculture is deemed essential for regional food security and addressing overfished stocks within the EU, the science to support sustainable aquaculture growth and wild fisheries is more important than ever before.

Ann-Lisbeth Agnalt, Chair of ICES Aquaculture Steering Group, is proud of the advances our organization has made with our work on aquaculture. She said, "Each ICES Member Country can request such advice knowing that not only is neutrality ensured but also expertise in evaluation. ICES provides a much wider group of experts than one country or institution can draw on. The long experience from fisheries ensures the efficiency of such advice. I think this is an incredible strength of ICES that I cannot praise enough. I hope today's advice showcases that ICES advice goes beyond fisheries."