Pre-slaughter handling causes significant stress and suffering in farmed salmon. Minimizing crowding, air exposure, and waiting time before stunning dramatically improves welfare at the end of life.
The final hours of a farmed salmon's life involve some of the most acute welfare challenges in aquaculture. Crowding, pumping, handling, and air exposure in sequence create a cascade of severe physiological stress before the fish even reaches the slaughter point. If stunning is inadequate or incorrectly applied, fish can regain consciousness and experience the killing process while still sentient. Welfare-conscious salmon producers and retailers are increasingly demanding independently verified stunning efficacy and minimized pre-slaughter handling time. The science of humane fish slaughter has advanced considerably and provides clear guidance for industry: crowd slowly, minimize air exposure, stun immediately and effectively, and verify unconsciousness before killing. Consumer demand for certified humane practices creates the market incentive to invest in these improvements.