Huon Aquaculture
Lacks transparency. Publishes some details, but doesn't show its workers are paid and treated fairly.
Last researched 23 October 2026 · 8 sources
Tasmanian farmed salmon and ocean trout brand owned by JBS.
Huon Aquaculture's parent, JBS Australia, scored 3/100 in the 2026 KnowTheChain benchmark.
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Why it's graded Lacks transparency
- Met: Meets all 7 Good requirements.
- Holds the grade back: It has a red flag for a failing or very low rating (KnowTheChain 3/100 in 2026, for the company it's rated with). On Track needs no forced or child labour, clear labour breaches or failing independent ratings.
- It isn't Harm on record, because there's no serious confirmed problem on its record.
- Lacks transparency is still a poor grade: in supply chains like this, workers who can't be seen to be treated fairly are usually unprotected.
Good requirements 7 of 7
- Met: Pays a living wage, or holds a strong fair-pay certificationLiving wage: presumed because legal wages in Australia are about a living wage, not checked at the company
- Met: Respects worker rights
- Met: Supply chain independently audited or certified, or at least 80% made in countries with strong labour standardsPresumed from where it's made, not audited
- Met: Shows where its earlier production stages happen, not just the final oneEarlier stages shown
- Met: No child or forced labour findings or links
- Met: Names the factories or farms that make its products, or is fully certified by a scheme that holds and audits that listMakes its products in its own factories
- Met: Traces its catch to the boat or farm and has crews' or farm workers' conditions checked independently
Red flags 1
- Red flag: Failing or very low score on an independent rating: KnowTheChain 3/100 (2026, the company it's rated with)
| Star | Awarded for |
|---|---|
| Open supply chain |
Stars only show on Good companies. About stars
Where it's made
From Huon Aquaculture's own disclosure: it makes its products in its own factories.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal minimum wage | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Strong protections | About a living wage | Low |
Evidence
What we found
- Passes the raw-material check for fish and seafood: traces its catch to the boat or farm and has crews' or farm workers' conditions checked independently.
- Owns or runs its own production
- Traces most of its fish and seafood to named fishing boats or farms
- Has crews' and farm workers' conditions checked independently (e.g. a vessel standard such as RFVS, or third-party crew interviews)
- Modern slavery statement
Research notes Huon farms its own salmon and ocean trout in Tasmania and processes them in Tasmania, with a frozen processing plant at Forrestdale, WA, supplied from its Tasmanian farms. Its last standalone statements (2021-22) said its farms were GLOBALG.A.P. certified and scored 100% in annual GRASP social assessments, and that its outside fish suppliers were also GRASP assessed. Since 2021 it has been covered by JBS Australia's group statement, which describes SMETA audits at most group sites but does not say whether Huon sites were checked. Parent JBS scored 3/100 on forced labour in KnowTheChain's 2026 benchmark.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Listed | Covered by the JBS Australia group (Baybrick Pty Ltd) modern slavery statement for 2024, which lists Huon Aquaculture entities as reporting entities but reports no Huon-specific findings. View |
| KnowTheChain | Problem found | Parent JBS scored 3 out of 100 and ranked 36th of 45 in the 2026 KnowTheChain Food and Beverage Benchmark (group rating). View |
Sources and actions
Sources 8
Show all 8 sources
- 2026 KnowTheChain Food & Beverage Scorecard: JBS S.A. · search the archive · JBS scored 3/100, ranked 36 of 45 (2026)
- Huon Tasmanian smoked salmon recall (Product Safety Australia) · search the archive · Huon smoked salmon sold nationally through Woolworths and Coles
- Huon opens salmon processing facility in WA (Inside FMCG, 2020) · search the archive · Forrestdale WA facility processes salmon and ocean trout from Huon's Tasmanian farms
- Huon Atlantic Salmon Skinless 280g - Woolworths · search the archive · Huon salmon sold at Woolworths; Product of Australia
Published by Huon Aquaculture or its owner
- Baybrick Pty Ltd (JBS Australia) Modern Slavery Statement 2024 · search the archive · Huon Aquaculture Group and Huon Aquaculture Company listed as reporting entities; Huon based in Tasmania; SMETA audits at most group sites
- Baybrick Pty Ltd (JBS Australia) Modern Slavery Statement 2023 · search the archive · Huon Tasmania-based with two facilities; group SMETA audits found no forced labour; Chilean seafood suppliers flagged as group risk
- Huon Aquaculture Group Modern Slavery Statement FY2021 · search the archive · Vertically integrated hatching, farming and processing in Australia; GLOBALG.A.P. certified; 100% GRASP social assessment scores; third-party fish suppliers GRASP assessed
- Huon Aquaculture Group Modern Slavery Statement July-November 2021 · search the archive · Acquired by JBS Australia on 17 November 2021; annual GLOBALG.A.P. and GRASP audits; over 797 staff
Company details
- Owned by
- JBS Australia (JBS S.A., Brazil)
- Headquarters
- Australia
- Last researched
- 23 October 2026
- Cite this page
- Labour Lens, "Is Huon Aquaculture ethical? Labour rating", https://www.labourlens.net/brand/huon-aquaculture, last researched 23 October 2026, accessed [date].
- Method
- Researched with AI assistance against published rules. How we check · What Lacks transparency means
Better-graded salmon and farmed fish
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Something missing or wrong?
Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Send us evidence, or a right of reply if you represent Huon Aquaculture.