Salmon Welfare at Harvest: Best Practice in Norwegian and Scottish Farms

Overview of best practice salmon welfare at harvest in leading Norwegian and Scottish operations.

Key Facts

Norway leads globally in adoption of welfare-positive salmon harvest practices
Electrical stunning immediately pre-slaughter is now standard in leading Norwegian operations
Crowding stress during pre-harvest is managed through density monitoring and protocols
Scottish salmon producers are adopting Norwegian best practice increasingly
Third-party welfare certification at harvest is driving standard adoption across the industry

Welfare Considerations

Salmon harvest welfare in leading Norwegian and Scottish operations has advanced significantly, with electrical stunning becoming standard and crowding stress protocols improving. The welfare gap between best practice and industry average is still significant, requiring continued regulatory and certification pressure. Consumer demand for certified welfare-positive salmon drives investment in better harvest systems. Sharing best practice across the global salmon industry is an important welfare dissemination mechanism.

What You Can Do

Choose salmon certified by welfare-conscious schemes that include harvest welfare standards
Support organisations documenting and promoting salmon harvest welfare best practice
Advocate for mandatory pre-slaughter stunning standards for farmed salmon globally