European sea bass is one of the most important farmed fish species in the Mediterranean. High-density production and handling practices create significant welfare challenges requiring attention.
European sea bass welfare is affected by stocking density, water quality, feeding management, and slaughter practices in ways that parallel welfare concerns in salmon aquaculture. The cognitive complexity of sea bass, including individual recognition and social learning abilities, strengthens the welfare case for management practices that consider their social and environmental needs. Crowding stress causes measurable physiological and immune consequences that affect both welfare and commercial performance, creating alignment between welfare improvement and production outcomes. Slaughter welfare for sea bass requires development and implementation of effective pre-slaughter stunning protocols, as current CO2 or chilling approaches are inadequate from a welfare perspective. Progressive certification standards for Mediterranean aquaculture are beginning to address these concerns.