Slaughter methods in aquaculture vary widely in their welfare implications, with many commercial methods causing significant suffering.
Humane slaughter is one of the most impactful welfare interventions available in aquaculture. Many current commercial methods including asphyxiation in ice and CO2 exposure cause significant suffering during a prolonged period before death. Species-specific stunning methods that render fish rapidly unconscious prior to killing are available and should be adopted across commercial aquaculture.