Wild Pacific and Atlantic salmon undergo extraordinary physiological journeys that involve genuine stress and suffering, and are increasingly affected by climate change, pollution, and fishing pressure in ways that compromise their welfare.
The welfare of wild salmon is an emerging concern in conservation biology. Their capacity to suffer, including experiencing pain and stress responses, is well-documented scientifically. Climate-related thermal stress is causing mass die-offs in some river systems, representing acute mass suffering events. Bycatch of non-target salmon in commercial fisheries, and injury during catch-and-release angling without anaesthesia, also raise significant welfare concerns that conservation efforts are only beginning to address.