Atlantic cod farming emerged as wild stocks collapsed. The welfare challenges of farming this iconic species reflect broader issues in marine fish aquaculture.
Atlantic cod farming represents an interesting case study in the interaction of conservation and aquaculture. The collapse of wild cod stocks created demand for farmed alternatives, but farming cod at commercial scale has proven difficult. Cod welfare issues in farming include the aggression and cannibalism that emerge under suboptimal conditions, and the stress responses to handling, transport, and high stocking densities. The conservation backdrop adds moral complexity: farming cod reduces pressure on wild stocks, supporting recovery — but each farmed cod still deserves welfare consideration as an individual sentient animal. The welfare improvements most applicable to cod farming include lower stocking densities, appropriate feeding regimes that prevent competition-driven aggression, and effective stunning before slaughter.