Welfare certification for farmed fish is a rapidly evolving field, with schemes now addressing water quality, stocking density, handling, and slaughter — but significant gaps remain across species and regions.
Fish welfare certification represents meaningful progress in recognising and addressing the suffering of billions of farmed animals that have historically received little attention. Evidence that fish are sentient — capable of nociception, stress responses, and learning — has grown substantially, making welfare standards both ethically necessary and scientifically grounded. Current certification schemes vary widely in rigour: some focus primarily on environmental sustainability with welfare as a secondary consideration, while others such as RSPCA Assured centre welfare as a primary criterion. The most significant welfare gaps in existing schemes relate to slaughter: fish are frequently killed without prior stunning, causing prolonged suffering through asphyxiation or live chilling. Expanding certification to require effective stunning, lower stocking densities, and enriched environments would substantially reduce the welfare burden of aquaculture.