Aquaculture

Farmed Trout End-of-Life Welfare

Slaughter of farmed rainbow trout involves methods with variable welfare profiles, with stunning before killing the key determinant of whether fish experience pain at death.

Key Facts

Percussive stunning renders trout unconscious within seconds when correctly applied
CO2 immersion causes significant aversion and distress before unconsciousness in trout
Asphyxiation in air or ice is widely used but causes prolonged suffering
Electrical stunning requires correct parameters for effective fish stunning
Norwegian Welfare Regulations require effective stunning before killing of farmed salmonids

Welfare Considerations

Trout suffer during poorly performed slaughter. Effective stunning before killing is the most important welfare intervention at end of life and should be required universally.

What You Can Do

Support certification schemes requiring stunning before slaughter of farmed trout
Advocate for regulatory requirements for humane slaughter of all farmed fish species
Raise awareness of slaughter welfare as a key fish welfare issue
Choose products from certified producers with stated slaughter welfare standards