Atlantic cod aquaculture is a growing sector aiming to relieve pressure on wild cod stocks. Welfare challenges including cannibalism, aggregation behaviour, and slaughter methods require attention as the sector scales.
Cod aquaculture presents a welfare frontier where production is scaling faster than welfare science. Cannibalism is an acute welfare problem in cod systems, causing direct injury and death to smaller or weaker individuals. Spinal deformities, which restrict normal swimming and cause chronic pain, are prevalent in commercial cod production and linked to genetic selection, nutrition, and handling during early life stages. The development of cod-specific welfare standards, humane slaughter protocols, and selective breeding programmes that reduce deformity incidence are priorities as the sector grows. Consumer interest in welfare-certified farmed cod can incentivise industry investment in these improvements.