Farmed Halibut Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Atlantic halibut aquaculture is a growing industry with significant welfare challenges related to the species' biology and behavioral needs.

Key Facts

Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) are the largest flatfish, reaching 300 kg in the wild
Farmed halibut grow more slowly than other species, taking 3-5 years to reach market weight
They are sensitive to handling stress and require careful management during grading and transfer
Cannibalism in juveniles is a major welfare and production problem at high densities
Halibut require sandy substrate for natural resting behavior in wild conditions
Escape behavior and stress responses indicate significant sentience and pain capacity

Welfare Considerations

Halibut welfare concerns in aquaculture include chronic crowding stress, substrate deprivation (farmed halibut often rest on bare tank floors rather than sand), handling trauma during routine operations, and juvenile cannibalism that causes injuries before it is detected and corrected. Slaughter welfare is improving with adoption of percussion stunning, but CO2 narcosis (which causes distress) remains common in some operations. Welfare-standard development for halibut is less advanced than for salmon.

What You Can Do

Choose halibut from producers certified under emerging aquaculture welfare standards
Support research into optimal stocking densities and substrate provision for farmed halibut
Advocate for mandatory stunning standards in halibut processing operations
Ask seafood retailers about welfare certification of their halibut supply chains