The global aquaculture sector is transitioning toward more welfare-conscious practices, driven by consumer demand, certification evolution, and growing regulatory interest in fish as sentient beings.
Aquaculture welfare transition is occurring unevenly across regions and species. Norwegian and Scottish salmon farming leads the world in welfare standards - driven partly by commercial incentives (healthy fish convert feed more efficiently) and partly by regulatory pressure. Shellfish, tilapia, catfish, and carp farming in Asia operates largely outside any welfare framework. The welfare science is advancing faster than regulation in most producing nations. Consumer markets in high-income countries have the leverage to drive welfare improvement in global aquaculture by demanding transparent welfare standards from all their seafood suppliers.