Sustainable salmon farming at Arnarlax takes place on the fish’s terms

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Arnarlax ensures the quality of its salmon by striving to support fish health and reduce environmental impact with innovative aquaculture.

Minimal number of sea lice

Salmon lice are a natural seawater parasite. As fish farmers, it is our task to make sure that the salmon can coexist with the lice.

Cold and sheltered waters are a natural defense mechanism against sea lice. In addition to this natural deterrent, the main strategy for reducing the number of chemical treatments is to take preventive measures, such as lice skirts, fallowing and use of cleaner fish.

All lice numbers are reported to the Food and Veterinary Authorities in Iceland and published on Arnarlax’s website within a week from the lice count.

Optimal conditions

Iceland offers some key factors when it comes to salmon farming. The temperature is optimal for the salmon. Long fjords create shelter and provide the expansive space needed for sizable pens. While the wind, waves and current ensure that movement of water is sufficient to give salmon access to oxygen-rich seawater.

Icelandic waters are free of most harmful viruses, making Iceland one of the best places in the world to produce salmon.

In line with nature

In the wild, salmon grow slowly and at Arnarlax, we allow our salmon the room to do the same. Spacious pens, cold waters and active currents mean our salmon grow at a gradual pace, concentrating their levels of Omega-3 and making them a good source of protein with pleasant texture.

Sustainable feed

It is important to us that our fish feed have the correct balance of nutritional content, consistency and taste, as well as being gentle on the environment.

For example, in the winter we use a special blend of feed and require our feed suppliers to ensure that the ingredients they use are sustainability certified. This means the feed ingredients are not genetically modified, have not been produced in areas threatened by deforestation, and do not depend on endangered fish stocks.

Because at Arnarlax, the fish comes first.