European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) is one of the most farmed marine fish species in the Mediterranean, with emerging welfare science informing improved stocking densities, slaughter methods, and environmental management.
Sea bass welfare science has advanced significantly, with research establishing the stress physiology, social needs, and slaughter welfare requirements for this commercially important species. The key welfare challenges are stocking density management and slaughter method. High-density sea bass culture creates chronic social stress, increased aggression, fin damage, and disease susceptibility — all indicators of compromised welfare. Pre-slaughter stunning is the critical welfare intervention at end-of-life; the practice of live chilling in ice slurry, while common, does not render fish insensible before asphyxiation. Industry leadership on sea bass welfare is emerging through certification schemes, but regulatory standards have not yet caught up with the science. Consumer demand for welfare-certified Mediterranean fish is a key market driver for improvement.