Habitat restoration in rivers, lakes, and coastal areas directly improves the welfare of fish and other aquatic animals by restoring natural conditions for feeding, spawning, and refuge.
Aquatic habitat restoration addresses fish welfare at scale by restoring the conditions in which fish evolved to thrive. Wild fish experiencing habitat degradation - low oxygen, blocked migration routes, disrupted temperature regimes - experience chronic physiological stress and impaired reproduction. Restoration projects that clean water, reconnect rivers, and restore natural flow regimes create environments where fish can feed, spawn, and move naturally. The welfare improvements from habitat restoration are large-scale and long-lasting compared to individual interventions. Supporting habitat restoration is arguably one of the highest-leverage welfare actions available in the aquatic domain.