According to a Life Cycle Assessment study carried out by the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology (SIK) if climate awareness is an issue salmon become a better option than beef and pork. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was commissioned by fish feed producer Skretting and encompassed the entire ”life cycle” of a salmon dinner.
The study involved salmon farmed in Norway and shipped to Stockholm for consumption. It began with the raw materials used in the feed (both agricultural and from fisheries), feed production and transport, fish farming and processing, transport to the wholesaler and retailer and then to the consumer, ending with preparation of a salmon fillet in the consumer’s home.
The study revealed that farmed salmon has been quantified all emissions that contribute to global warming, acidification and eutrophication and all electricity and fuels consumed. The result shows that salmon is much better than both pork and beef. Trygve Berg Lea, International Product Manager in Skretting, observes this study shows that salmon produced in Norway have almost the same volume of CO2 emissions per kg meat as chicken, which is half of the CO2 emissions from pork meat production and less than a seventh of those from beef production.
It is told that the comparisons are based on the the food’s GWP (Global Warming Potential). The study states that salmon’s GWP was 2 kg CO2-equivalent per kg salmon fillet. The figure shows GWP measured in CO2-equivalents for pork, salmon, chicken and beef. The study also shows that salmon feed production contributes 80 percent of the total emissions.
Berg Lea explained the study shows that if we want to improve the salmon’s GWP, then the feed would be the right place to start. However, we must not allow ourselves to be blinded by figures either. He added that the marine raw ingredients in the feed contribute significantly to the salmon’s GWP, but the study also shows that use of vegetable raw ingredients results in greenhouse gas emissions.
Berg Lea also told that salmon produced in Norway have almost the same volume of CO2 emissions per kg meat as chicken, which is half of the CO2 emissions from pork meat production and less than a seventh of those from beef production.
