The puffins are on strike. That’s right: no photos until Parliament bans sea-cage salmon farms. Those farms harm the pristine fjords that the puffins and their friends, the wild Atlantic salmon, depend on.
The puffins are using their cuteness for a cause – join them, and let’s get sea-cages out while we still can.
Iceland’s puffins and wild Atlantic salmon both depend on a healthy ecosystem. Both species are in decline, and sea-cage salmon farms harm the pristine waters they need to survive.
The farms are a key reason why wild Atlantic salmon populations have declined by ~70% since the 1970s. And since they are a keystone species, what hurts wild Atlantic salmon, hurts the whole ecosystem.
No wonder the puffins are upset.
WHY PUFFINS DON’T LIKE SEA-CAGES
WHY PUFFINS DON’T LIKE SEACAGES
THE PUFFINS’ TOP COMPLAINTS ABOUT SEA-CAGES:
The sea-cages sit directly in fjords, threatening all marine life in the area.
They are a leading cause of the decline and collapse of wild Atlantic salmon populations.
They discharge industrial waste, chemicals, and parasites into public waters.
The cramped cages, clouded by chemicals and fecal matter, are inhumane.
Approximately 865 million ocean-farmed salmon died prematurely between 2012-2022.1
HOW DO ICELANDERS FEEL ABOUT SEA-CAGES?
The Norwegian-owned sea-cage salmon farms do not operate in the best interest of Icelanders:
Unstable Jobs & Wage Cuts: One of the largest sea-cage salmon farm companies is firing employees and offering them lower paying jobs2, and another is cutting wages3, with the lower pay taking effect on International Workers’ Day.
Operating Losses: The companies’ financial reporting shows they racked up combined quarterly operating losses of nearly 10 billion ISK in 2025.2
Foreign corporations own the sea-cages and take the profits, while Iceland is left to deal with the resulting pollution.
The companies pay minimal taxes in Iceland, government data shows.5
THE MAJORITY 0F ICELANDERSopposeSEA-CAGES.
THE MAJORITY 0F ICELANDERSopposeSEA CAGES.
This is true regardless of age, income, gender, or political party.
Puffins, wild Atlantic salmon, and 63% of Icelanders agree:
WE NEED BETTER LAWS.
Here’s how we aim to strengthen Iceland’s aquaculture laws.
THREE SIMPLE GUARDRAILS TO PROTECT ICELAND’S FJORDS:
01
Set a clear phase-out date for existing sea-cages.
02
Mandate the transition to closed containment or land-based systems.
03
Stop issuing new licenses for sea-cages.
As a tourist, your voice matterS.
The Icelandic government and people care what you think. Why? Because tourism is the biggest industry in Iceland.
Also, because the puffins would miss the attention if you stopped coming back.
COMPARED TO SEA-CAGE SALMON FARMING, TOURISM BRINGS IN:
COMPARED TO SEA CAGE SALMON FARMING, TOURISMBRINGS IN:
18x
MORE Revenue for Iceland.
10,000+
jobs compared to sea -cages (~200-300).
There’s still time to protect Iceland.
There’s still time to protect Iceland.
Right now, Iceland’s Parliament is updating national aquaculture laws. The proposed bill will determine whether sea-cage salmon farming expands or whether Iceland transitions to safer, modern systems.
Protect the beauty that calls you to Iceland. Sign the petition so Parliament knows where tourists stand.
This bill is still being shaped, and we need your help.
all of this IS worth protecting.
all of this IS worthprotecting.
Voices from Visitors
"I did not expect to care this much about a fish. Iceland has a way of changing what you think matters."
- Zoe A., Toronto
"Third trip. Every time I leave I want to do something to protect what I just experienced. This is the simplest way I know."
- David K., Chicago
"I have fished in Iceland about 10x in the last 13 years. Each trip, including flights, long range minibus transport, accommodation, food, wine, guides, tips, etc., costs approx. £10,000. Each year. Why do I go? I and my friends value wild authenticity and warm hospitality, along with pure, wild salmon."
- Mark H., UK
Are you in Reykjavík?
Drop by our pop-up.
Drop by our pop-up.
Visit us at the Lækjartorg Tower to join the puffin strike, learn about the issues salmon are facing and shop keepsakes that benefit Icelandic nature.
In one of your own photos, cover your face with 🧡. • Post it to Facebook or Instagram. • Tag @icelandpuffins. • And boom, you’re protesting with the puffins.
The puffins love being the cute, unofficial mascots of Iceland, and they’re using that popularity to stick up for their friends, the wild Atlantic salmon. But did you know the puffins also need help? They’re on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.
Singh, G. G., Sajid, Z., & Mather, C. (2024, March 7). Quantitative analysis of mass mortality events in salmon aquaculture shows increasing scale of fish loss events around the world. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 3763. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-54033-9
RÚV. (2026, January 28). Fiskeldisfyrirtæki hyggjast segja upp fólki til að breyta kjörum. https://www.ruv.is/frettir/innlent/2026-01-28-fiskeldisfyrirtaeki-hyggjast-segja-upp-folki-til-ad-breyta-kjorum-465348
Iceland Monitor. (2026, January 30). Regret wage cuts for aquaculture workers. https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/news/2026/01/30/regret_wage_cuts_for_aquaculture_workers/
Kaldvik AS. (2026, January 23). Kaldvík AS: Update on financial situation. Keldan Newswire. https://keldan.is/Tilkynningar/GNW3224922_en
Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries. (2023, February). The state and future of aquaculture in Iceland. Government of Iceland. https://www.stjornarradid.is/library/02-Rit--skyrslur-og-skrar/The%20State%20and%20Future%20of%20Aquaculture%20in%20Iceland%20%281%29.pdf
It will take all of us to save wild Atlantic salmon.
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Voices
from Visitors