Atlantic salmon aquaculture is the world's most scrutinized fish farming sector, with significant progress on welfare standards alongside persistent challenges.
Atlantic salmon welfare has received more research attention than virtually any other farmed fish species, yet significant welfare problems persist. Sea lice cause chronic skin damage and physiological stress; their treatment methods cause additional acute welfare harm. Crowding behavior at feeding time and density-related aggression are measurable chronic stressors. Pre-harvest crowding into smaller and smaller volumes before slaughter causes acute panic and physiological stress that affects both welfare and flesh quality — creating alignment between welfare and market incentives. Electrical stunning represents the industry standard for humane slaughter in leading operations, but global compliance is incomplete. Progress is real but insufficient given the scale of production.