European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is one of the most valued farmed fish in Europe. Improving welfare at key production stages benefits millions of individual fish annually.
European seabass share welfare challenges with Mediterranean sea bream — intensive cage conditions that produce chronic stress through crowding, parasite burden, and repeated handling events. Seabass are particularly sensitive to handling stress; crowding during biomass checks, grading, and transfer causes acute cortisol responses that suppress immune function for days, increasing disease susceptibility. Water temperature management is critical — seabass require cooler water than bream, and thermal stress during Mediterranean summers compromises welfare. At harvest, seabass are frequently crowded into small net volumes and transported alive to markets without stunning — a welfare problem that welfare-conscious certification schemes are beginning to address. Developing and mandating species-specific welfare protocols for seabass — including handling guidelines, stocking density limits, and stunning requirements — is an urgent priority.