Aquatic Animal Welfare

Salmon Pre-Slaughter Crowding Welfare

Pre-slaughter crowding of farmed salmon causes significant stress including scale loss, oxygen depletion and injury that affects welfare in the final hours of life.

Key Facts

Salmon are crowded in nets or tanks prior to slaughter to facilitate handling
Crowding causes scale loss, oxygen depletion, hypercapnia and elevated cortisol
Duration and density of pre-slaughter crowding determines welfare impact severity
RSPCA Assured standards set maximum crowding duration and biomass limits
Percussive stunning followed by gill cutting is considered current best practice for salmon slaughter

Welfare Considerations

Pre-slaughter crowding is a significant welfare concern for farmed salmon as it causes measurable physiological stress. Minimising crowding duration, ensuring adequate oxygenation and moving directly to effective stunning reduces the welfare burden of the slaughter process.

What You Can Do

Choose RSPCA Assured or equivalent certified salmon with slaughter welfare standards
Advocate for mandatory pre-slaughter welfare standards in aquaculture licensing
Support research into reduced-stress salmon harvesting technology