Fish and shellfish slaughter practices lag far behind mammalian slaughter welfare standards despite increasing evidence that these animals can suffer.
Fish and shellfish slaughter represents one of the largest volumes of animal suffering by individual number with among the least welfare consideration applied. The evidence that fish experience pain and stress is robust yet slaughter practices for fish and shellfish remain decades behind practices for mammals. Common methods - gill cutting in live fish causing them to bleed out over several minutes, live boiling of crustaceans, or prolonged asphyxiation of fish removed from water - would be illegal if applied to mammals and cause genuine suffering to animals increasingly recognized as sentient. Electrical stunning renders fish insensible quickly and humanely and is increasingly available technology. Improving fish and shellfish slaughter practices could affect more animals by individual number than any other single welfare intervention, making it a high priority welfare issue.