Aquaculture

Aquaculture Welfare Transparency and Public Reporting

Transparency in aquaculture welfare reporting enables consumer choice, industry accountability, and continuous improvement in farmed fish welfare standards.

Key Facts

Most aquaculture welfare data is proprietary and not publicly accessible
Norway requires publication of some salmon welfare data including lice counts
Independent welfare auditing is rare - most certification relies on self-reporting
Consumer demand for welfare labelling is increasing but trust in current labels is low
Open data on mortality, disease, and treatment would allow meaningful comparison

Welfare Considerations

Without transparent welfare reporting, consumers and regulators cannot assess whether welfare claims are meaningful. Public reporting of key welfare indicators creates accountability and drives improvement by allowing comparison between producers.

What You Can Do

Demand welfare transparency information from seafood retailers
Support certification bodies transitioning to public data reporting
Advocate for mandatory welfare reporting in aquaculture regulation
Choose products from the most transparent certified producers