Welfare certification schemes for farmed fish and crustaceans are emerging to fill a gap left by mainstream animal welfare legislation that has historically excluded aquatic animals.
Aquaculture welfare certification is in its critical development phase - the decisions made now about what standards to require will shape the welfare of trillions of fish over coming decades. The challenge is scientific: welfare assessment for fish requires different indicators than for terrestrial animals, and validated welfare assessment tools are still being developed for many species. The challenge is also commercial: standards that are too demanding for current industry practice will not be adopted; standards that are too weak do not meaningfully improve welfare. Organizations developing aquaculture welfare standards are navigating this tension, trying to establish requirements that are achievable and continuously ratcheting upward as practices improve. Consumer demand for genuinely meaningful certification accelerates this process.