Welfare Science

Fish Welfare at Slaughter - Global Standards

International standards and progress on fish welfare at slaughter across wild-caught and farmed sectors.

Key Facts

Billions of fish are killed annually with no mandatory welfare standards in most countries
EU regulations require fish to be stunned before slaughter in aquaculture
Wild-caught fish often die by asphyxiation, a process associated with distress
Electrical stunning and percussion are most effective for rapid unconsciousness
Fish welfare at slaughter is a growing regulatory and industry focus

Welfare Considerations

Fish welfare at slaughter represents one of the largest scale welfare issues globally, affecting billions of sentient animals with minimal current protection.

What You Can Do

Advocate for mandatory fish stunning requirements in fisheries regulation
Choose fish from certified sources with slaughter welfare standards
Support research into scaling humane slaughter methods for wild catch fisheries