A growing number of welfare certification schemes for farmed fish and crustaceans exist globally, with significant variation in scope, rigour, and species coverage.
Welfare certification in aquaculture is rapidly evolving but significant gaps remain. The most robust schemes provide species-specific welfare indicators, require third-party audit of stocking densities and slaughter methods, and address the full production cycle. However, many widely recognised certification labels prioritise environmental sustainability over welfare, and the welfare provisions included may be insufficient to guarantee absence of suffering. Informed consumers and procurement teams should scrutinise the welfare-specific elements of any certification label rather than assuming broad sustainability certification implies high welfare standards.