Atlantic halibut farming is expanding as wild stocks decline. The species' unique biology and high market value create opportunities for welfare investment that smaller-value species lack.
Atlantic halibut farming presents a welfare scenario with unusual potential: as a high-value product, the economics of welfare investment are more favorable than for commodity aquaculture species. Consumers paying premium prices for halibut may also be more receptive to welfare standards and certification. The biological reality is that halibut are highly sensitive to handling — their stress responses are measurable and significant, and handling protocols in aquaculture settings require careful management. Benthic housing needs differ from pelagic species, with substrate access or at least appropriate tank depth being important for behavioral expression. The small scale of global halibut aquaculture makes the development and implementation of welfare standards more tractable than for high-volume species.