Turbot are among the highest-value farmed fish in Europe, with welfare challenges related to their flatfish physiology, aggression management and sensitivity to handling.
Turbot welfare presents a different profile from pelagic farmed species. Their flatfish physiology means that floor space, not water volume, determines how many fish can be held without crowding stress. Their high commercial value creates economic incentive for intensive production that can conflict with welfare — more fish per tank increases revenue but reduces floor space per fish and increases aggression. The repeated handling stress of size-grading operations required to prevent cannibalism represents a significant cumulative welfare burden. Developing validated turbot-specific welfare indicators and standards that translate the evolving science into commercial practice is a priority for this economically important but welfare-neglected species.