Sand Smelt: Welfare in Mediterranean Small Pelagic Fisheries

Sand smelts are small schooling fish harvested in Mediterranean fisheries for local consumption and fishmeal, with welfare considerations around net fishing practices and live-fish market trade.

Key Facts

Sand smelts are small pelagic fish found in Mediterranean coastal waters and lagoons
They are caught commercially by small-scale fisheries using beach seines and cast nets
In some regions they are sold live at markets for immediate consumption
Sand smelts are highly sensitive to handling and air exposure, with high immediate mortality
They form dense schools and are caught in large numbers relative to their small body size

Welfare Considerations

Sand smelt welfare during commercial capture involves the acute stress of net capture and crowding. As highly active, sensitive fish, capture in beach seines causes extreme crowding stress and physical injury from scale loss and abrasion. Air exposure, even brief, causes rapid physiological deterioration and high mortality in this species. Live fish market trade subjects sand smelts to extreme crowding and oxygen depletion in small containers before sale. The aggregation of individual welfare harms to small fish captured in large numbers means the aggregate welfare impact of sand smelt fisheries is significant despite the species' small size.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns for welfare-appropriate handling standards in small-scale Mediterranean fisheries
Raise awareness that welfare considerations apply equally to small fish species
Advocate for bycatch and handling standards that minimize suffering in small-scale coastal fisheries
Support EU implementation of fish welfare standards that cover all commercial species
Engage with Mediterranean seafood consumers about the welfare of small pelagic species