Turbot is a high-value flatfish farmed primarily in Spain, China, and northern Europe. Its benthic lifestyle creates specific welfare requirements that differ significantly from pelagic farmed species.
Turbot welfare science is less developed than for salmon or seabass but is advancing. Their bottom-dwelling lifestyle means conventional circular tank culture where fish pile on the tank floor creates a naturalistic resting opportunity, but at excessive stocking densities this becomes crowding. Feeding aggression is pronounced because turbot ambush prey from the substrate rather than following feed clouds in the water column. Optimizing feed delivery to the tank floor reduces competition. Handling sensitivity means all grading and sampling must be done with minimum air exposure and rapid water return. Cold-stunning before slaughter is common but requires careful validation.