Amberjacks are large, powerful pelagic fish farmed in Mediterranean and Japanese aquaculture. Their welfare in intensive farming and recreational fishing is a growing concern.
Farmed amberjacks in net cages face chronic parasitic infection pressures that cause skin lesions, reduced feeding, and significant suffering if untreated. Treatments often involve freshwater bath immersion or chemical treatments that cause acute stress. Crowded net cages restrict the natural high-speed schooling behaviour of amberjacks, leading to aggression and fin damage. Harvesting typically involves crowding fish into a small area and brain-spiking (ikejime) — a humane method when performed correctly, but often done poorly at scale. Wild-caught recreational amberjack suffer prolonged fights from deep water.