Aquaculture

Farmed Abalone Welfare: Premium Aquaculture and Welfare Standards

Overview of abalone welfare in aquaculture, including handling, density, and slaughter welfare.

Key Facts

Abalone is farmed in South Africa, China, Australia, and New Zealand
Abalone are gastropod molluscs with limited evidence for sentience
High commercial value drives intensive production in some operations
Handling stress and osmotic shock are welfare concerns in abalone production
Welfare standards for abalone aquaculture are largely undeveloped

Welfare Considerations

Abalone welfare sits in a similar position of uncertainty to other molluscan aquaculture. Evidence for sentience is limited, but precautionary welfare approaches are warranted given the scale of production. Handling stress during routine management and slaughter methods are areas where welfare improvements can be made with relatively low cost. The high commercial value of abalone creates incentives for quality management that can align with welfare.

What You Can Do

Support development of welfare standards for molluscan aquaculture
Choose abalone from producers who demonstrate responsible handling practices
Follow research on gastropod and molluscan welfare science