Atlantic halibut are increasingly farmed as an alternative to declining wild stocks. Their specific welfare needs as large flatfish require dedicated husbandry approaches.
Halibut welfare presents specific challenges from their flatfish morphology. Unlike salmon, halibut spend much of their time resting on tank substrates; overcrowding prevents this natural behaviour and causes stress. Their large size at slaughter creates handling challenges for humane slaughter. Growth rate differences between individuals create size variation requiring careful grading to prevent competition welfare costs. The expanding halibut farming sector has opportunities to embed welfare standards early - before bad practices become entrenched - with support from emerging fish welfare research.