Pacific and Atlantic halibut face significant welfare challenges in commercial capture fisheries, and improved handling and killing practices can reduce suffering in caught fish.
Wild-caught halibut welfare is primarily determined at the point of capture and on-vessel handling. Large fish that survive the hauling process may remain conscious and stressed during prolonged deck exposure before being killed. Effective on-vessel killing requires both appropriate tools and adequate training — large halibut are physically challenging to stun effectively with conventional equipment. Premium seafood programs requiring welfare-conscious on-vessel killing represent one mechanism for raising handling standards in commercial fisheries. Consumer willingness to pay for welfare-conscious wild-caught fish creates market incentives for the training and equipment investments that improve on-vessel welfare outcomes. The welfare improvement achievable through better handling practices in commercial fisheries is substantial given the enormous numbers of fish involved.