The period immediately before slaughter in salmon farming involves crowding, fasting, and handling that cause significant stress before death.
Pre-slaughter welfare in salmon farming has improved in some jurisdictions through mandatory stunning requirements but remains highly variable globally. The combination of extended fasting, crowding, pumping through transfer systems, and exposure to slaughter environments means salmon experience substantial cumulative stress before death. Effective stunning that produces immediate unconsciousness is the critical welfare intervention at this stage, but implementation quality varies enormously between facilities. Consumer demand for high welfare seafood can drive adoption of better pre-slaughter standards.