Abalone are commercially farmed in many countries for their valuable meat, but their welfare in high-density tank systems raises questions about stress, injury, and appropriate husbandry for these long-lived marine molluscs.
While the sentience of abalone remains less studied than fish, evidence of nociception and stress physiology warrants precautionary welfare standards. The welfare challenges in abalone farming include overcrowding, poor water quality during high-density rearing, physical trauma from sorting and grading, abrupt temperature changes during harvesting, and slaughter practices that may cause prolonged suffering. Current slaughter typically involves chilling, air exposure, or direct cutting without anaesthesia. Research into humane abalone slaughter is limited compared to finfish, representing a significant gap. Farms adopting reduced stocking densities, consistent water parameter monitoring, gentle handling protocols, and rapid slaughter methods represent the welfare frontier.