Atlantic cod farming is expanding as wild stocks decline, raising important welfare questions about stress, density, feeding and disease management in this species.
Cod are sophisticated predatory fish with complex behavioural needs that are poorly served by intensive aquaculture conditions. High stocking densities cause chronic stress, increased aggression and injury, and impair immune function. The expansion of cod farming is occurring faster than our understanding of cod welfare science, risking entrenchment of poor practices. Given the parallel tragedy of wild cod stock collapse through overfishing, ensuring that farmed cod are raised with genuine welfare consideration is both an ethical and reputational imperative for the industry.