Elected officials and environmental organizations are calling for an immediate ten-year moratorium on closed-system industrial salmon farming, as several large-scale projects are nearing completion in France. At the heart of the criticism is a planned facility in Verdon-sur-Mer, Gironde, developed by the company Pure Salmon, which aims to produce up to 10,000 tons of salmon per year.
Locally supported for its economic promises and presented by its promoters as a lever for food sovereignty, the project nevertheless faces massive opposition. The recently closed public inquiry gathered more than 20,000 submissions, the majority of which were unfavorable, while several hundred protesters gathered at the proposed site to denounce its environmental impacts.
Environmental issues and animal welfare at the heart of the criticism
Opponents denounce a model deemed energy-intensive and water-intensive, likely to weaken the Gironde estuary ecosystem. They also raise concerns about industrial discharges, risks to local fishing, and fish farming conditions, pointing to excessive concentration and a reliance on imported resources for feed. Several scientific and technical bodies have issued unfavorable opinions, citing major uncertainties in the impact studies.
In response to this mobilization, a cross-party bill, supported by around one hundred members of parliament, calls for the suspension of these projects until their effects have been fully assessed. The signatories urge the government to ensure that no environmental permits are issued in the short term, arguing that the proliferation of these factory farms raises a fundamental question about the aquaculture production model to be adopted in France.
