Atlantic cod aquaculture is developing welfare standards as the sector grows, drawing on lessons from more established salmonid farming.
Farmed cod welfare development benefits from the lessons of decades of salmon welfare research, allowing faster progress toward welfare standards than salmon farming achieved in its early history. The cod industry's smaller current scale also means welfare standards can be established before industrial-scale problematic practices become entrenched. Key welfare challenges - aggression management, thermal control, and slaughter method - are being addressed through research collaboration between industry, academics, and welfare organizations. Early establishment of strong welfare norms in an emerging sector is more effective than retrofitting standards onto entrenched practices.