Atlantic salmon slaughter methods vary widely in their welfare implications, from percussive stunning to live chilling, with major differences in animal suffering.
Salmon slaughter welfare is determined by the speed of insensibility and the distress involved in reaching unconsciousness. Live chilling involves prolonged cold exposure that causes abnormal behaviour and may involve pain before insensibility. Percussive stunning renders fish immediately insensible, followed by rapid killing through gill cutting. The choice of slaughter method is one of the most impactful welfare decisions in salmon production. Consumer certification preference for percussive stunning creates market incentive for adoption. Regulatory requirements for humane slaughter methods in aquaculture are strengthening but remain inconsistent globally.