Anchovies are among the most heavily harvested fish on Earth, primarily for fishmeal and oil, with welfare during mass capture receiving minimal attention despite their vast numbers.
The welfare significance of anchovy harvesting is amplified by the astronomical numbers involved — tens of billions of individuals annually. If anchovies experience even minimal suffering during suffocation death in net captures, the cumulative welfare impact is enormous. Reducing fishmeal dependence by transitioning farmed fish to plant-based and insect-based feeds is the most tractable intervention, simultaneously reducing anchovy harvest pressure and improving broader aquaculture welfare.