European sea bass is among the most farmed finfish in the Mediterranean, with welfare challenges centred on crowding stress, vibriosis, and pre-slaughter practices.
European sea bass in intensive cage systems experience recurring welfare insults from crowding operations for grading, vaccination, and treatment. As a highly active pelagic predator, confinement at high density restricts their behavioural repertoire and causes chronic stress. The pre-slaughter process in many Mediterranean countries involves ice slurry immersion without prior stunning, causing conscious suffering during the dying process that can persist for 30 minutes or more.