Aquaculture

Fish Welfare Certification and Standards

Welfare certification for farmed fish is developing but remains less robust than certification for terrestrial farm animals.

Key Facts

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council has developed fish welfare criteria within its sustainability standard
RSPCA Assured covers farmed salmon and trout with specific welfare requirements
Global G.A.P. aquaculture standards include some welfare provisions
Welfare-specific fish certification schemes are emerging in Norway and other major producing countries
Independent welfare auditing of fish farms is limited by scale and accessibility

Welfare Considerations

Fish welfare certification is a growing but still immature field. Major certification schemes have increasingly incorporated welfare criteria, but the depth and specificity of these requirements varies considerably. Dedicated fish welfare certification with validated outcome measures, independent auditing, and meaningful welfare thresholds represents the gold standard for market-based welfare improvement in aquaculture.

What You Can Do

Choose fish products with credible welfare-inclusive certification
Support development of stronger welfare requirements in aquaculture certification
Advocate for independent welfare auditing in aquaculture supply chains
Raise awareness about the limitations of current fish welfare certification
Support organisations working to improve fish welfare standards in certification schemes