Atlantic salmon are farmed in enormous numbers and slaughter methods vary widely in their welfare impact. Understanding humane pre-slaughter options is central to improving fish welfare at scale.
Billions of farmed salmon are slaughtered each year using methods that cause minutes of distress and suffering before loss of consciousness. The scale of this welfare problem is virtually unmatched in animal agriculture. The technology for humane electrical and percussive stunning exists and is being adopted by some producers, but is not yet standard industry practice. Consumer and retailer pressure on welfare-at-slaughter standards has demonstrably moved the industry.