Rainbow trout is one of the most important farmed fish species globally, yet welfare standards for this species remain poorly developed despite clear evidence of sentience and stress response.
Farmed rainbow trout deserve the same welfare consideration as other salmonids — they are closely related to salmon and share the same capacity for stress and likely pain experience. Yet welfare standards for trout have not developed in parallel with those for salmon, leaving a significant gap in farmed fish welfare protection. High stocking densities drive fin damage and chronic social stress. Improved welfare standards for this high-volume species would improve the lives of hundreds of millions of fish annually.