European sea bass is farmed extensively in Mediterranean sea cages, with welfare challenges including net pen injuries, crowding stress, and welfare-unassessed harvesting.
Sea bass welfare in Mediterranean aquaculture operates in a context of extensive production with limited welfare oversight. Fish experience chronic low-level stressors including crowding, net rubbing injuries, and parasite pressure throughout their grow-out period. Harvest by crowding into ice slurry without stunning causes acute stress before insensibility. Welfare improvements in European sea bass farming are hindered by the absence of mandatory welfare standards specific to this species, leaving welfare outcomes highly variable between producers.