The final slaughter stage for farmed salmon determines both individual welfare and meat quality. Evidence-based slaughter methods significantly reduce suffering compared to common practices.
Salmon slaughter welfare is determined by the speed and reliability with which consciousness is terminated. Asphyxiation - removing fish from water - is the least acceptable method: salmon can remain conscious for up to ten minutes in air, experiencing hypoxia, hypercapnia and physical distress. Percussive stunning (spiking) when correctly applied causes immediate loss of consciousness, but requires trained operators working at speed. Electrical systems provide scalable, consistent pre-stun unconsciousness across large batches. The welfare case for investment in proper slaughter infrastructure is clear, and the alignment with meat quality improvements provides commercial incentive.