Farmed Animals

Farmed Salmon: Slaughter Welfare and Methods

How farmed salmon are slaughtered has significant welfare implications; spiking (ikejime), electrical stunning, and CO2 narcosis differ substantially in their humaneness.

Key Facts

Approximately 400 million farmed Atlantic salmon are slaughtered annually
CO2 narcosis before slaughter causes initial aversion and distress in salmon before unconsciousness
Electrical stunning renders fish immediately insensible but requires proper equipment calibration
Percussive stunning followed by gill cutting is considered humane when properly performed
Ikejime (brain spiking) is the gold standard but is labor-intensive at aquaculture scale

Welfare Considerations

Slaughter method matters enormously for salmon welfare - the difference between electrical stunning and CO2 narcosis is roughly analogous to the difference between anesthesia and drowning for a mammal. As evidence for fish sentience accumulates, the ethical pressure to adopt humane slaughter methods at aquaculture scale is increasing. Certification schemes are beginning to incorporate slaughter welfare criteria.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon with welfare certification that includes slaughter method standards
Ask retailers to prioritize suppliers using electrical stunning over CO2 narcosis
Support research into scaled-up humane salmon slaughter technologies
Advocate for mandatory humane slaughter standards in aquaculture regulation