Fisken i frysdisken – Konsumentens medvetenhet kring de negativa konsekvenserna gällande fiskmjöl och odlad lax

Sammanfattning: Farmed salmon is today commonly available in grocery stores where it is marketed as a healthy and environmentally friendly alternative to many other fish species. The fact that the diet of farmed salmon substantially consists of fishmeal is a fairly unknown fact. I performed a study which in its first part set out to identify the most negative environmental consequences of farming salmon. I show that there are several negative environmental impacts concerning farmed fish and fishmeal production. Especially over-fishing the oceans, which results in disturbed ecosystems. Moreover the increased concentration of pollutants in farmed salmon and the negative effects to the environment due to the farms are troubling. This is especially worrying because the regulations lag behind. For my second part of the study I investigated the knowledge Swedish consumers have about fishmeal and farmed salmon. I show how this knowledge correlates with different kind of variables such as gender, age, education, environmental awareness, parenthood and consumer values. Through this study I show that there are significant correlations between: having children and how often you consume salmon; knowledge and the perceived severity of the environmental impacts concerning farmed salmon; environmental awareness and the importance of moral and ethics when shopping. More research is needed and an extended survey like this one would be preferable. Today’s vocational fishing, fishmeal production and salmon farming need to become sustainable.