Carp are the most widely farmed fish globally, yet their welfare receives far less attention than salmon or trout despite comparable sentience evidence.
Carp welfare is perhaps the most overlooked issue in global animal agriculture. The sheer scale of carp farming — billions of fish annually — combined with near-complete absence of welfare regulation creates an enormous potential welfare problem. The practice of selling live carp for home slaughter by consumers is particularly concerning — most home slaughter methods cause prolonged suffering compared to properly applied stunning. Pond harvesting events create periods of extreme crowding, reduced oxygen, and handling stress. The evidence that carp experience nociceptive responses is sufficient to justify precautionary welfare standards, particularly given the massive numbers involved.