The handling, crowding, and waiting periods before slaughter represent a critical welfare window for farmed salmon that significantly affects suffering at end of life.
Pre-slaughter management for farmed salmon is a welfare-critical period that receives less attention than slaughter methods themselves. The crowding, handling, and waiting involved in harvest operations cause acute and cumulative stress that compromises fish welfare before they are killed. Fasting periods, while operationally necessary, should be as short as possible. Water quality monitoring during crowding is essential to prevent oxygen depletion-related suffering. Minimising the duration between crowding and actual killing reduces the overall welfare burden of harvest. Integration of welfare considerations throughout the harvest chain, not just at the point of slaughter, is necessary for genuine improvement.