Farmed salmon reproduction management including stripping, hormonal treatment, and triploid production raises welfare considerations that are rarely discussed in aquaculture welfare literature.
Farmed salmon reproductive welfare is a relatively underexplored area compared to grow-out phase welfare. Broodstock management involves sustained holding, artificial induction of reproduction, and handling during stripping that causes acute stress. Triploid production through pressure or temperature shock of eggs may have welfare implications for resulting fish if it causes developmental abnormalities. The entire reproductive lifecycle in aquaculture involves significant human intervention in processes that naturally occur in rivers and involve extended migration. Improving reproductive welfare involves refining handling procedures, developing less stressful induction methods, and monitoring broodstock welfare indicators throughout the holding period.