Campaign to stop salmon farming off the Falkland Islands

^{Text: Marika Griehsel}

The authorities in the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) are to carry out a survey to gauge public opinion on the establishment of offshore salmon farms. In response, hundreds of islanders have joined forces and publicly opposed this large-scale industry.

They argue that invaluable natural heritage will be damaged and that the local squid fishery will be destroyed. The campaign “No Salmon Farms in the Falkland Islands” www.salmonfreefalklands.org aims both to engage the public on the islands and to attract international attention.

The issue of salmon farming has been debated for several years, and the large-scale industry claims that up to 200,000 tonnes of farmed ‘atlantic salmon’ could be produced annually off the coasts of the Falkland Islands. Despite promises of new jobs and tax revenue, concern and opposition are growing over the establishment of salmon farming in the marine-sensitive bays surrounding the islands. The marine environment there is a globally significant breeding ground for a variety of wildlife, including penguins, albatrosses, seals, dolphins and whales. In 2022, the area was designated an Important Biodiversity Area for nine species of seabirds and the critically endangered sei whale. In early 2025, the southern right whale was added to the list.

There are a number of negative aspects to salmon farming, as previously reported by Deep Sea Reporter. Crowded farming cages make the salmon susceptible to diseases and parasites such as sea lice. This leads to high mortality rates among the fish and often requires extensive medication and chemical pesticides that damage the local ecosystem. Furthermore, the protein-rich feed for the salmon – consisting of fishmeal, ground herring, anchovies and sardines – is trawled from other parts of the world, contributing to the depletion of valuable small fish stocks in the oceans.

A spokesperson for the organisation Salmon Free Falklands (SFF) has, in a written response, outlined the main reasons for the organisation’s opposition to large-scale salmon farming.

´One thing that’s really important to understand about the Falklands is that our inshore marine environment is virtually untouched by human influences, writes Kicki Ericson.

´There has been no industrialisation, not even artisanal fishing. It has an incredibly high biodiversity with vast healthy kelp forests. All of this is unique in the world, given that there is a human population, only just over 3000 people. This means there is so much more to lose by introducing open-pen salmon farming than in any other region where people live. 

´Our marine environment underpins two of our main industries: tourism and offshore commercial fisheries (about 60% of GDP).  Salmon farming is a direct threat to this.´

´We have no Atlantic salmon in our waters, so open-pen salmon farming would mean the introduction of a non-native opportunistic predator into our marine ecosystem. For that reason alone, we shouldn’t even be considering this industry.

Kicki Ericson also adds the salomon industry would threaten their economy and their   identity.

´We identify with wilderness, remoteness. That’s the Falklands brand´

´The majority of people here do not want salmon farming, but the industry used lawyers to keep the topic on the agenda. Our government  already said no to salmon farming, but have been taken to court by the company.

´SFF has raised awareness via FB and leaflets and info tables since 2020. People here are active on FB. We have also engaged directly with our decision makers. And have engaged with overseas NGOs to exchange information.

´SFF is entirely self-funded and we all live here in the Falklands. We are not ‘activists’, we have researched carefully our reasons for being against. We always give source references for statements about salmon farming that we make. We would rather not have to spend so much time on this subject, but our research shows that open-pen salmon farming would change our waters negatively and irreversibly, and we simply can’t stand by and let this happen.´ 

Kicki Ericson finish her answer with; there is no unemployment here. 

The Government’s consultation process can be followed on the official page Falkland Islands Government Salmon Farming Publications.