Striped bass and hybrid striped bass are increasingly farmed in recirculating aquaculture systems, with welfare considerations centred on stocking density, water quality, and handling stress.
Striped bass are increasingly popular in aquaculture but welfare standards for their production are underdeveloped. Like other teleost fish, they experience stress and their sensitivity to oxygen depletion makes water quality management critical. Slaughter methods vary widely, with many operations using ice slurry without prior anaesthesia, a method associated with prolonged death. Species-specific welfare guidelines for striped bass production are urgently needed.