Atlantic halibut are among the most expensive farmed fish, with specific welfare needs related to their benthic lifestyle, slow growth, and sensitivity to handling and water quality.
Halibut welfare in aquaculture reflects the challenges of farming a species with highly specific ecological needs in conventional tank or cage systems. As benthic fish, halibut have evolved to rest on substrate — the absence of resting surfaces in open water tanks causes chronic postural stress and abnormal swimming behaviour. Handling events including grading, vaccination, and harvest cause acute stress with measurable mortality in susceptible individuals; minimising handling frequency and using anaesthesia where appropriate reduces welfare harm. Water quality management is critical: halibut show behavioural and physiological stress responses to suboptimal temperature, oxygen, and ammonia levels that are detectable before clinical signs appear. The premium market for halibut provides economic incentive for welfare investment, making higher-welfare halibut farming commercially viable when buyers demand it.