Wild-caught salmon face welfare challenges from the fishing methods used to capture them, post-capture handling, and the physiological stress of long-line or net entanglement.
Wild salmon welfare at capture is determined by method, duration, and handling practices. Gill net entanglement causes the most prolonged suffering — fish can be trapped for hours before the net is hauled. Commercial trap and weir systems are generally less harmful if fish are processed quickly. Sport catch-and-release can have high survival rates with careful practice — barbless hooks, minimal air exposure, and careful revival — but poor handling leads to post-release mortality even when fish swim away. Both commercial and recreational fisheries benefit from welfare-conscious practices.