As wild fish stocks decline and aquaculture expands, welfare standards for farmed fish become increasingly important for billions of animals.
Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food sector and represents an enormous welfare opportunity. With appropriate standards, farmed fish can have better welfare than wild-caught fish that experience the stress of capture, crowding in nets, and often prolonged death by asphyxiation. Leading producing countries are beginning to develop welfare regulations, but most of global aquaculture remains largely unregulated for welfare purposes.