European sea bass is one of the Mediterranean's most commercially important farmed fish. Welfare standards in sea bass production have improved but significant challenges around crowding and handling remain.
Sea bass welfare in Mediterranean aquaculture faces challenges common to intensive fish farming: overcrowding, stress from routine husbandry events, and inadequate pre-slaughter stunning. The Mediterranean summer heat creates additional thermal stress risks that don't affect colder-water salmon farming. Ice slurry chilling without stunning - common practice for sea bass - allows fish to experience minutes of distress before insensibility. The premium price commanded by sea bass provides economic capacity for welfare improvements, making this a species where consumer pressure for higher welfare standards could have rapid effect. European regulatory frameworks are strengthening requirements for fish slaughter welfare, which should progressively improve sea bass slaughter practices.