Pre-slaughter handling is a critical welfare point for farmed Atlantic salmon. Improvements in crowding, stunning, and slaughter methods significantly reduce suffering at the end of life.
Pre-slaughter welfare for salmon involves a cascade of welfare-relevant events: net crowding, aerial exposure during crowding, transport in water to processing, and slaughter itself. Each stage can cause significant suffering. Crowding depletes oxygen and causes physical injuries from jostling. Aerial exposure is acutely stressful. Live chilling in ice slurry without prior stunning -- still common in some producer countries -- causes prolonged conscious suffering. The Norwegian regulatory requirement for stunning and growing certification requirements are driving improvement globally. Consumer preference for certified product accelerates this transition.