Aquaculture Welfare

Aquaculture Fish Welfare Certification Progress

Welfare certification programmes for farmed fish are expanding, driven by retailer commitments and consumer demand. These schemes are establishing measurable standards for stocking density, stunning, and water quality.

Key Facts

GLOBALG.A.P. and ASC now include fish welfare indicators in their standards
Welfare at slaughter including pre-slaughter stunning is increasingly required
UK retailers have committed to phased improvements in salmon welfare standards
Third-party auditing of on-farm welfare parameters is growing
Consumer demand for welfare-labelled fish products is increasing in Europe

Welfare Considerations

Welfare certification programmes create market-based incentives for fish farmers to improve conditions beyond legal minimums. While still developing, these schemes are establishing important welfare baselines and creating accountability across supply chains.

What You Can Do

Choose fish certified under welfare-inclusive certification programmes
Support retailers with strong fish welfare sourcing commitments
Advocate for mandatory welfare standards for all farmed fish species