Slaughter welfare for farmed sea bass has received increasing scientific and regulatory attention. Industry adoption of humane slaughter methods is accelerating, though significant gaps remain.
The welfare of farmed sea bass at slaughter has historically been poor. CO2 narcosis, still widely used, causes apparent distress as fish surface-gasp during the prolonged induction period. Ice slurry killing involves cold shock followed by slow death by asphyxiation over many minutes — a process research indicates is painful and distressing. Electrical stunning immediately disrupts brain function and, combined with effective killing (such as gill cutting after stunning), provides a humane alternative. The technical challenge is applying electrical stunning to large volumes of fish efficiently in commercial settings. Automated stunning equipment designed for sea bass has been developed and is commercially available. Retailer requirements — particularly from UK and Northern European supermarkets — have been significant drivers of adoption. The gap between best practice and industry norm remains substantial but is narrowing.