Atlantic cod aquaculture has grown as wild cod stocks collapsed, but farmed cod production brings its own welfare concerns around stocking density, disease, and the welfare of a species adapted to cold, open-water environments.
Farmed cod suffer welfare problems similar to those of farmed salmon, but with less regulatory attention and less public awareness. High stocking densities prevent normal swimming behavior and increase aggression and injury. Cold water requirements mean any temperature excursion causes significant physiological stress. Parasitic and bacterial disease burdens, while less dramatic than salmon lice in public perception, cause chronic discomfort and immunosuppression. The absence of cod-specific welfare standards in most aquaculture certification schemes means cod farmers are not held to meaningful welfare benchmarks. As cod farming expands to address wild stock depletion, welfare standards need to be developed proactively rather than reactively.