Evaluating the strength of aquaculture welfare certification schemes and understanding what certified labels actually guarantee for fish welfare.
Aquaculture certification schemes vary enormously in the strength of their welfare requirements. Some schemes primarily address environmental sustainability with minimal welfare-specific criteria, while others — particularly RSPCA Assured for salmon — include meaningful welfare standards with third-party verification. Informed consumers need to understand that a certification label does not automatically signal high welfare standards and that the specific welfare requirements of any scheme are what matter. The most welfare-protective certifications require maximum stocking densities that allow fish to move freely, minimum dissolved oxygen levels, maximum allowable parasite thresholds, mandatory pre-slaughter stunning, and regular health monitoring with transparent reporting. Advocacy for stronger welfare requirements within certification schemes is as important as consumer purchasing decisions in driving industry improvement.