Aquaculture

Fish Slaughter Methods: Welfare Science and Best Practice

The welfare of farmed fish at slaughter is poorly regulated globally, with many fish killed by methods causing prolonged consciousness and suffering that would be illegal for terrestrial animals.

Key Facts

Approximately 100 billion farmed fish are killed for food annually
Many fish are killed by ice slurry, live chilling, or suffocation — all slow and potentially painful
Electrical and percussive stunning can render fish immediately insensible
Norwegian regulations require that salmon be stunned before killing since 2015
The Humane Slaughter Association recommends percussive or electrical stunning for farmed fish

Welfare Considerations

Fish killed by slow methods including live chilling and suffocation remain conscious for many minutes while experiencing severe hypoxia. Research on fish pain responses indicates these methods cause significant suffering. The gap between fish welfare science and regulatory standards represents one of the most urgent issues in food animal welfare.

What You Can Do

Support regulations requiring humane slaughter for farmed fish
Choose fish from farms that use stun-before-kill systems
Advocate for global minimum standards for fish slaughter welfare
Donate to organizations working on fish welfare advocacy and research
Reduce farmed fish consumption or choose species from well-regulated farms