Common carp are among the most widely farmed fish globally, yet welfare considerations around pain, stress, and slaughter methods receive inadequate attention.
Common carp, like other fish, have demonstrated pain and stress responses that make their welfare in intensive production systems a legitimate concern. Overcrowded ponds lead to fin damage, increased disease, and chronic physiological stress. Many carp are killed by ice slurry or suffocation without stunning, methods that cause prolonged suffering if the fish are sentient. The scale of carp production means that even small welfare improvements could benefit tens of millions of animals.