Multiple aquaculture certification schemes exist with varying welfare requirements, and understanding their differences helps consumers make more informed choices for fish welfare.
Navigating aquaculture certification is genuinely complex, and most schemes prioritize environmental sustainability over animal welfare. The result is that a fish product can be certified as environmentally sustainable while being produced under conditions causing significant welfare harms. Consumers seeking welfare-positive choices should prioritize schemes with explicit welfare outcome requirements and independent auditing. The most welfare-protective option for salmon in UK markets is currently RSPCA Assured. For other species, the absence of robust welfare schemes means that direct producer engagement and reducing consumption remain the most reliable welfare-positive strategies.