Transporting live salmon between hatcheries, freshwater sites, and sea cages is a high-welfare-risk event. Optimised transport protocols significantly reduce stress and mortality.
Live salmon transport welfare is a significant issue because transport events are inevitable in multi-stage salmon production and each represents an acute welfare challenge. Crowding during loading and transport elevates cortisol dramatically. Poor water quality management during transport causes hypoxia stress or mortality. Well-boat technology for sea cage-to-processing transport maintains better water quality than conventional pump-transfer methods. Sedation with appropriate anaesthetics during transport reduces stress responses and improves survival. Transport welfare protocols including pre-transport fasting, appropriate densities, continuous oxygen monitoring, and minimised transfer time represent best welfare practice. Mortality during transport is a direct welfare indicator requiring monitoring and investigation.