The method used to kill farmed fish has major welfare implications, with significant variation in humaneness across species and production systems.
Fish slaughter welfare has historically received little regulatory attention despite fish constituting the largest number of farmed vertebrates by individual. Methods that cause distress or prolonged death are still standard practice in many production systems globally. Scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that fish experience stress during slaughter and that methods vary enormously in humaneness. Certification schemes now increasingly specify slaughter method requirements, creating market incentives for welfare improvement.