Aquaculture

Salmon Pre-Slaughter Crowding Stress

Pre-slaughter crowding in salmon aquaculture causes acute stress, gill damage and compromised flesh quality, driving welfare improvements at harvest.

Key Facts

Pre-slaughter crowding exposes salmon to extreme density for minutes to hours
Cortisol levels spike rapidly during crowding, indicating acute stress
Gills are physically damaged by crowding and poor water oxygenation
Rapid stunning immediately after crowding is essential to minimise suffering
Some producers use live chilling followed by percussion stunning to reduce stress

Welfare Considerations

Crowding is an unavoidable aspect of salmon harvest, but its duration and intensity can be minimised through improved handling equipment and stunning protocols. Welfare at slaughter is a critical priority.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon with welfare certification covering slaughter practices
Support industry standards requiring rapid stunning after crowding
Ask retailers about the slaughter methods used by their salmon suppliers