The lack of welfare standards for farmed fish species is being addressed by emerging certification schemes, scientific research and regulatory proposals that will shape a growing industry.
Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production sector globally, and the welfare vacuum around farmed fish welfare is being filled — slowly — by voluntary standards, scientific research and emerging regulation. The challenge is that fish welfare is harder to assess and harder to regulate than terrestrial animal welfare, partly because fish are less visible and partly because the science of fish welfare is newer. Nevertheless, significant progress has been made: we now have validated welfare indicators for key farmed species, certification schemes incorporating welfare criteria, and growing regulatory interest. The pace of standard development must match the pace of industry expansion.