Atlantic cod aquaculture is expanding as wild cod stocks remain depleted. Welfare challenges including stress-related disorders, cataract prevalence, and density-related aggression are significant.
Farmed cod welfare presents challenges analogous to but distinct from salmon aquaculture. Cod are predatory, highly active fish that do not tolerate high densities well — aggression, injury, and stress are common welfare problems at commercial stocking rates. The high cataract prevalence documented in cod aquaculture mirrors the salmon problem and likely has similar dietary and management roots. Consumer awareness of cod welfare lags behind salmon significantly, and certification schemes provide less coverage. As cod aquaculture expands in response to wild stock depletion, establishing welfare standards early — before the industry becomes entrenched in poor practices — is a welfare opportunity that should not be missed.