The crowding of salmon before harvest is one of the most welfare-significant events in the production cycle. Understanding stress indicators guides better practice standards.
Pre-slaughter crowding is an unavoidable stage in harvest but its duration and intensity can be managed to minimise welfare harm. Fish that are crowded, exhausted and stressed before slaughter also have reduced flesh quality, providing commercial incentive to reduce crowding stress alongside welfare benefit. Best practice includes minimal crowding duration, access to oxygenated water during crowding, avoidance of unnecessary re-crowding and immediate transition to stunning rather than holding in crowded conditions. Welfare assessment through behaviour, skin condition and mortality monitoring during crowding provides actionable quality indicators.