Abalone farming is growing globally, raising questions about welfare in this commercially valuable mollusc. Understanding their biology informs more humane farming practices.
Abalone welfare sits in an area of genuine scientific uncertainty. Their neurological simplicity means the likelihood of rich subjective suffering is lower than in vertebrates, but precautionary concern is warranted given evidence of nociception and stress responses. High-density farming creates measurable stress — reduced feeding, altered movement, and increased disease susceptibility. Overcrowding during the years-long grow-out period may cause chronic welfare compromise. Slaughter methods have received almost no welfare research. As aquaculture welfare science advances, developing evidence-based welfare standards for abalone and other molluscs will be important, particularly given the large production volumes involved.