Pre-slaughter welfare for farmed salmon has improved substantially with the adoption of electrical and percussive stunning, but implementation remains inconsistent globally and species-specific challenges persist.
Salmon slaughter welfare has improved more rapidly than many other fish welfare areas, driven by a combination of welfare science, regulatory pressure in leading producing nations, and retailer requirements. The shift from unstunned bleeding to effective percussive or electrical stunning represents a genuine welfare advance for billions of fish annually. The remaining challenge is global implementation consistency: Norwegian and Scottish processing plants are ahead of many other producing regions, and within countries, smaller processing facilities may lack appropriate stunning infrastructure. Consumer and retailer pressure through certification requirements is the most effective lever for global improvement. Continued investment in stunning equipment validation and monitoring of effectiveness ensures that adopted technology actually delivers the welfare benefit it promises.