European sea bass are among the most valuable farmed fish in the Mediterranean. Welfare standards are advancing but significant challenges remain, particularly around slaughter.
Sea bass welfare challenges in Mediterranean aquaculture include chronic crowding stress, handling trauma during grading and harvest, and slaughter by CO2 narcosis or live chilling — both of which cause prolonged distress before loss of consciousness. Electric stunning followed by spiking (ikejime) provides the most humane slaughter but requires significant investment. Progress is being made through European aquaculture welfare standards and retailer requirements, but uptake is uneven across producer countries.