Atlantic salmon

The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Salmonidae and order Salmoniformes. It is important to clarify that this fish is not a plant pest. From an agronomic standpoint, Salmo salar is an aquatic animal that possesses no biological capability to consume, infest, or damage terrestrial or greenhouse agricultural crops.

The biology of the Atlantic salmon involves an anadromous life cycle, moving between freshwater rivers and the ocean. Their diet consists primarily of zooplankton, crustaceans, and small fish. Because they inhabit exclusively aquatic ecosystems, they have no impact on field crops, orchards, or vegetable production, making them entirely irrelevant to crop protection and pest management strategies.

In agronomy, pests are categorized as organisms that cause economic damage to plant production by feeding on roots, stems, or leaves. Since Atlantic salmon do not interact with plants in any part of their life cycle, they cannot be defined as pests. The confusion often stems from misinterpretations of ecological databases, but there is no scientific record of them harming agricultural vegetation.

There are no damage symptoms or economic impact associated with this species in crop science. Farmers do not need to implement any defensive measures, monitoring, or chemical applications against salmon. The species does not exhibit the behavior typical of pests, such as gnawing, sucking sap, or causing pathological lesions on plant tissue.

Instead of being a pest, products derived from Atlantic salmon, such as fish meal and hydrolyzed extracts, are frequently used as high-quality organic fertilizers. These substances provide essential nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, that promote plant growth. In summary, the Atlantic salmon is a valuable resource in aquaculture rather than a threat to the plant-growing industry.