Aquaculture produces more than half of the fish consumed globally, yet animal welfare legislation covering farmed fish lags far behind terrestrial livestock standards in most jurisdictions.
Fish welfare in aquaculture is governed by a patchwork of national regulations, voluntary standards, and certification schemes with wide variation in stringency. Norway leads globally with mandatory slaughter stunning requirements, stocking density limits, and sea lice treatment welfare protocols. Most other producing countries lack even basic welfare standards. Consumer demand is driving retailer commitments, which in turn drive producer standards — a market mechanism that, combined with regulation, is accelerating welfare progress.