Pre-slaughter stunning technology for farmed fish is advancing, with electrical, percussion, and laser systems offering more humane alternatives to CO2 and live chilling.
Fish slaughter welfare is among the most tractable aquaculture welfare improvements available, as effective humane stunning technology already exists for major farmed species and is commercially deployed at scale in leading facilities. The gap between available technology and widespread practice is large, driven by capital cost of equipment, habitual practice, and insufficient regulatory and market pressure to change. Certification scheme requirements for specific stunning methods have been the most effective lever for industry adoption in countries including Norway and the UK. Consumer demand for certified farmed fish products is growing, creating market incentives that complement regulatory approaches. Investment in stunning technology for emerging aquaculture species including sea bass, cobia, and flatfish species is needed to ensure welfare standards extend beyond the most studied salmonid species.