Aquaculture

Fish Welfare at Slaughter

The welfare of fish during slaughter in aquaculture has received growing attention, with significant variation in stunning and killing methods and their effectiveness across species and operations.

Key Facts

Common slaughter methods include CO2 exposure, percussion stunning, and electrical stunning
CO2 is now considered inhumane for salmon as it causes distress before unconsciousness
Percussive or electrical stunning renders fish unconscious before killing when properly applied
Welfare at slaughter is included in increasing numbers of aquaculture welfare standards
Consumer certification schemes increasingly require humane slaughter methods

Welfare Considerations

Fish slaughter welfare requires species-specific guidance on effective stunning methods and their application. The welfare case against CO2 asphyxiation for salmonids is scientifically strong. Industry adoption of humane slaughter requires both regulatory requirements and consumer certification pressure.

What You Can Do

Choose fish from certified operations with documented humane slaughter requirements
Advocate for regulatory standards on fish slaughter methods in your country
Support fish welfare research organisations advancing humane slaughter science