Farmed Salmon Slaughter Welfare: Improving End-of-Life Standards

The welfare of farmed salmon at slaughter is an increasingly studied area, with evidence that current common practices including asphyxiation in ice slurry cause prolonged periods of consciousness and suffering.

Key Facts

Atlantic salmon is one of the most farmed fish globally, with Norway, Scotland, and Chile as major producers
Common slaughter methods include asphyxiation in ice slurry, CO2 stunning, and electrical stunning
Research suggests fish asphyxiated in ice slurry may remain conscious for over 4 minutes
Percussive stunning followed by immediate bleeding is considered the most humane method
The Salmon Welfare Initiative and others are working to improve slaughter standards globally

Welfare Considerations

The welfare case against ice slurry slaughter is strong: fish show consciousness indicators for several minutes, experiencing hypoxia, CO2 narcosis, and cold stress before losing consciousness. This is a prolonged and distressing death. Percussive stunning - striking the head with a mechanical device - causes immediate insensibility when correctly applied. Electrical stunning in water is also rapidly effective. Transitioning the industry to humane stunning methods requires investment and training but represents the most significant single welfare improvement available in salmon aquaculture.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon products from producers certified to RSPCA Assured or equivalent welfare schemes
Ask retailers about slaughter methods in their salmon supply chains
Support campaigns by the Salmon Welfare Initiative and similar organisations
Reduce salmon consumption or choose alternatives to drive demand signals toward higher welfare production
Advocate for mandatory humane stunning for farmed fish at slaughter in UK and EU legislation