Legal protection for fish welfare is developing globally but remains substantially weaker than that for mammals and birds; understanding progress and gaps identifies priorities for advocacy.
Fish welfare legislation is developing but remains inconsistent in coverage and enforcement. Commercial fisheries — where the largest numbers of fish are killed — have minimal welfare regulation globally, representing the largest gap between welfare need and legal protection. Aquaculture and research contexts have stronger frameworks that are improving. The scientific consensus on fish sentience now justifies regulatory requirements equivalent to those for other vertebrates; the challenge is translating scientific consensus into legislative action against commercial interests resistant to change.