European sea bass farming is expanding rapidly in Mediterranean aquaculture, and welfare standards for this species are developing as evidence of fish sentience grows.
Sea bass welfare is a relatively new focus in aquaculture welfare science, though the species has been farmed commercially for decades. Evidence of their sentience and pain capacity is now sufficient to justify welfare consideration across the production cycle. Key welfare concerns include chronic crowding stress affecting aggression and injury rates, inadequate stunning at slaughter, and transport handling that induces severe acute stress. The welfare-conscious aquaculture community is beginning to address these issues through density standards, environmental enrichment research, and slaughter method reform. Consumer and retailer pressure has accelerated adoption of welfare commitments among major Mediterranean aquaculture producers.