Farmed Salmon Pre-Slaughter Welfare: Stunning Advances

Pre-slaughter stunning of farmed salmon has improved significantly following welfare science advances, but inconsistent adoption across global producers leaves millions of fish killed without effective stunning.

Key Facts

Percussive stunning and electrical stunning can render salmon insensible within seconds when correctly applied
CO2 narcosis, formerly common, is now recognized as aversive and is being phased out in leading producers
Fish welfare auditing programs now include pre-slaughter stunning as a key assessment criterion
Norway and Scotland, as leading salmon producers, have moved toward mandatory stunning requirements
Asian salmon processing facilities often lack stunning infrastructure, creating welfare disparities in traded products

Welfare Considerations

Pre-slaughter stunning represents one of the most straightforward and cost-effective welfare improvements in aquaculture. The evidence that fish experience distress during CO2 exposure or live ice chilling is well-established, and the technical solutions — percussive or electrical stunning — are available and economically feasible at commercial scale. The barrier is adoption across diverse global supply chains, particularly in processing facilities in countries with weaker regulatory oversight. Consumer purchasing choices and retailer sourcing policies that require pre-slaughter stunning certification can accelerate adoption in remaining laggard facilities.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon products from producers certified to use humane pre-slaughter stunning methods
Ask retailers about the stunning requirements in their salmon supply chains
Support advocacy for mandatory pre-slaughter stunning requirements in salmon processing regulations
Reduce farmed salmon consumption to lower demand on systems with inconsistent welfare standards