Aquaculture Welfare

Aquaculture Halibut Welfare

Atlantic halibut farming is an expanding aquaculture sector with specific welfare challenges related to benthic behaviour, territorial aggression, and sensitivity to handling.

Key Facts

Atlantic halibut are benthic flatfish that rest on tank floors in preference to water columns
Territorial aggression causes significant bite injuries in tanks without adequate space
Halibut are highly sensitive to handling and show pronounced stress responses
Optimal water temperature for halibut welfare is relatively narrow at 10-14 degrees C
Welfare research for halibut lags significantly behind salmon and sea bass

Welfare Considerations

Halibut welfare in aquaculture is constrained by limited species-specific research, making welfare standards largely extrapolated from better-studied species. Investing in halibut-specific welfare research is necessary to develop appropriate stocking density, feeding, and handling standards for this expanding sector.

What You Can Do

Support research into Atlantic halibut welfare requirements
Learn about the species-specific welfare needs of farmed halibut
Advocate for halibut welfare standards based on species-appropriate research