How the pre-slaughter crowding of farmed salmon causes significant welfare compromise and how better practices can reduce suffering.
Pre-slaughter handling represents one of the most significant but least visible welfare challenges in salmon aquaculture. The sequence of crowding, pumping, transfer, and fasting that precedes slaughter exposes fish to multiple stressors before the final welfare event of slaughter itself. Optimizing pre-slaughter welfare requires minimizing fasting duration, gentle crowding methods, appropriate water quality maintenance during crowding, and the fastest possible progression from sea to slaughter. Consumer demand for welfare-certified salmon that includes pre-slaughter standards creates market pressure for the supply chain improvements that would benefit millions of fish annually.