Atlantic cod were once the backbone of North Atlantic fisheries but are now functionally collapsed in many regions, raising both conservation and welfare questions about farming and wild recovery.
The collapse of wild Atlantic cod is a conservation catastrophe with profound welfare dimensions — billions of fish suffered and died from starvation and disease as populations crashed and recovered partially. The remaining wild cod exist in populations still depleted relative to historical baselines, facing continued fishing pressure, climate-driven habitat changes and persistent trawl bycatch. Cod aquaculture offers theoretical relief for wild populations but currently creates welfare problems in farmed fish through crowding, disease and poor adaptation to intensive conditions. The most impactful welfare and conservation measure remains the strict protection and recovery of wild cod populations.