Gilthead sea bream is a major Mediterranean aquaculture species with welfare considerations including chronic stress, parasite burden and traumatic harvest that deserve greater attention.
Sea bream welfare follows the pattern common to many Mediterranean aquaculture species: fish with complex social and environmental needs are kept in open cages at densities that prevent normal behaviour, with minimal attention to the stress caused by harvest procedures. The development of electrical stunning technology that can be applied to sea bream at commercial scale provides a clear path to dramatically better slaughter welfare. Reducing crowding stress in the hours before harvest through lower handling densities is equally tractable. Consumer demand for certified products from operations meeting welfare standards is the most direct market signal available to drive industry change.