Fish are slaughtered in larger numbers than any other vertebrate group, yet humane slaughter standards in fisheries and aquaculture lag far behind those for terrestrial animals.
Fish slaughter represents perhaps the largest single source of welfare-relevant suffering in the global food system in terms of individual animal numbers. The scale is almost incomprehensible - and the methods commonly used cause prolonged suffering to animals that evidence increasingly shows have the capacity to suffer. Bridging the regulatory gap between land animals and fish at slaughter is one of the highest-impact reforms available in animal welfare policy. Consumer and retailer pressure for humane slaughter certification - such as the RSPCA's requirements for farmed fish - can drive change faster than legislative processes alone.