Ensuring salmon are effectively stunned before slaughter is a critical welfare issue in aquaculture. Current practices vary widely, with many fish still killed without adequate stunning.
Salmon slaughter welfare has improved significantly in regions with strong regulation, but global practices remain highly variable. The gill-cut-and-bleed method without prior stunning — common in much of Asia and parts of South America — causes prolonged suffering. Percussion stunning, when properly calibrated for fish size, produces immediate insensibility. Electrical stunning requires precise current parameters. Oversight and verification are key: stunning equipment must be maintained, and workers trained. Consumer demand for welfare-certified products is beginning to drive industry change, with certifications like ASC and Best Aquaculture Practices incorporating stunning requirements.