Aquaculture certification schemes have expanded significantly but significant welfare gaps remain in what is monitored, audited, and required across different species and regions.
Aquaculture certification has improved environmental standards more comprehensively than animal welfare standards. Most major schemes were designed primarily to address sustainability and food safety, with welfare added as an afterthought. This means certified products may still come from farms with high stocking densities, inadequate slaughter methods, and poor water quality management that compromises fish welfare. The gap between what consumers believe certification means and what it actually guarantees is substantial. More robust welfare-specific certification - requiring documented welfare assessment, stocking density limits, water quality monitoring, and high-welfare slaughter - is needed to ensure labels convey meaningful welfare assurance.