How automated slaughter technologies are improving welfare outcomes for farmed fish by delivering rapid, reliable stunning and killing.
Fish slaughter has been one of the most neglected welfare issues in food production, affecting billions of animals annually. The science of fish sentience has advanced significantly, making continued use of inhumane slaughter methods increasingly difficult to justify. Automated percussive and electrical stunning systems demonstrate that high-volume slaughter can be made welfare-conscious without major economic penalties. Industry adoption of better slaughter technology represents one of the highest-impact interventions for fish welfare given the enormous number of animals affected.