Gilthead sea bream is one of the most farmed fish species in Mediterranean aquaculture, and slaughter method is a critical welfare issue affecting millions of fish annually.
Ice slurry slaughter involves a prolonged period of consciousness during which fish experience the physical trauma of rapid temperature change and oxygen depletion. This is one of the most significant preventable welfare harms in aquaculture given the scale of production. Effective stunning methods exist and are commercially viable but require industry commitment and regulatory enforcement.