How does Mowi protect biodiversity?

10.9.2026

  | Mowi

Mowi’s vision is to lead the Blue Revolution and unlock the ocean’s potential in a way that respects our planet. We depend on a healthy ocean, and safeguarding the environment where we grow our salmon is our top priority.



Healthy oceans are essential not only to ensure optimal conditions for our fish to thrive, but also to support climate resilience, enhance the ocean’s capacity to provide nutritious Blue Foods, and contribute to thriving communities worldwide.

Climate change and biodiversity loss are among the greatest environmental challenges facing the world today. As ecosystems continue to decline at an unprecedented rate, there is an urgent need to transform how we manage and protect nature. Businesses have an important role to play in safeguarding biodiversity and supporting the resilience of the ecosystems on which we all depend.

Mowi’s Biodiversity Strategy is an extension of our sustainability strategy. It reflects our commitment to protecting and restoring nature across our global operations. By integrating biodiversity considerations into our business practices, we aim to minimise our environmental footprint while contributing to healthier ecosystems for future generations.

Throughout our value chain, our operations are closely connected to the health of the natural environment, making it fundamental that we minimise our impact on the ecosystems on which we depend. This includes the marine resources used in our feed, the freshwater needed to produce salmon during their early life stages, and the responsible management of waste and resources to help protect the health of our oceans and the wider environment in which our fish thrive.

Marine resources

Protecting biodiversity also means considering how we use the resources within our oceans. Feed is an important part of salmon farming, which is why Mowi takes a responsible approach to sourcing its feed ingredients.

Contrary to a common misconception, farmed salmon actually eat less fish than wild salmon. Mowi uses around 0.56 kg of sustainably sourced wild fish to produce 1 kg of farm-raised salmon – a measure known as the Fish In, Fish Out (FIFO) ratio.

The fish used in feed, such as anchovies and sardines, are sourced in accordance with Mowi’s responsible sourcing requirements, with marine raw materials sourced from certified sustainable fisheries or fisheries involved in recognised improvement programmes.

Mowi is continually working to diversify the ingredients used in its feed, including exploring emerging and alternative feed ingredients that can reduce reliance on marine raw materials while maintaining the nutrition, health and welfare of our salmon. By 2030, Mowi aims to include 10-15% ingredients from emerging feed raw materials.

It’s one example of how protecting biodiversity requires us to look across the whole value chain –  from the waters where our salmon are farmed to the ingredients that help them grow.

Freshwater availability

Freshwater is essential in the early stages of salmon farming, when we produce smolts before they are transferred to the sea. As a result, the majority of Mowi’s freshwater use takes place during the first stage of our salmon’s life.

Using water responsibly is a key part of our approach to sustainability. Circularity and resource efficiency are priorities for Mowi, and we continuously look for ways to reduce freshwater use, improve efficiency and return or reuse water wherever possible.

Mowi’s Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) allow water to be treated and reused repeatedly. Our investment in RAS technology is helping us significantly reduce the amount of new freshwater required to produce smolts. Our most modern RAS facilities operate with recirculation rates of up to 99%. In 2025, these facilities recycled more than 39 million cubic metres of freshwater, demonstrating how technology can help us make better use of this valuable resource.

We also recognise that responsible water management extends beyond farming. At our processing plants, we are working to improve water-use efficiency while maintaining the high hygiene standards essential to producing safe, high-quality food. Our current target is to reduce water intensity at processing plants located in areas of high overall water risk by 10% by 2030.

As leaders of the Blue Revolution, we will continue to invest in innovation, technology and responsible water management to reduce our impact on freshwater resources. By improving efficiency and increasing circularity across our value chain, we can make our business as sustainable as possible.

Waste reduction 

Reducing waste is an important part of Mowi’s approach to protecting nature. Waste can directly impact ecosystems when it is not managed responsibly, particularly when it enters water bodies and the oceans, harming wildlife and biodiversity. Our approach is guided by the principles of a circular economy, with a focus on preventing waste wherever possible and maximising opportunities to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover materials across our operations.

We are working to turn waste into a resource by upcycling materials that would otherwise be discarded. At our processing plants, we aim to upcycle 100% of offcuts into new products by 2030.

Farming equipment, including nets, pens and feeding pipes, can also be reused or recycled. In 2025, 97% of Mowi’s farming equipment waste was recycled or reused, equivalent to 2,288 tonnes of equipment. Used netting can, for example, be transformed into polyamide filament for use in products such as textiles, furniture and automotive parts.

We are also reducing the amount of plastic we use through packaging redesign, material reduction and increased use of recycled content. These initiatives helped avoid at least 1,963 tonnes of plastic use in 2025.

In 2025, 60% of the solid waste generated across Mowi’s direct operations avoided disposal through reuse or recycling. Our ambition is to achieve zero solid waste to landfill from our direct operations by 2030.

By reducing waste at the source and keeping materials in circulation, we can make better use of natural resources, lessen our environmental impact, and help protect the ecosystems on which our business depends.

Together, these actions form an important part of Mowi’s approach to protecting biodiversity and using nature’s resources responsibly, helping us produce nutritious food from the ocean while supporting the ecosystems on which our business, our communities and future generations depend.


https://mowi.com/blog/how-does-mowi-protect-biodiversity