Today (28th September), we have welcome progress on basic welfare standards for farmed fish by certification schemes, but more must be done to improve the lives of billions of fish that suffer silently in underwater factory farms.

What are the new standards?

One of the world’s leading seafood certification schemes – The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) – has announced draft welfare standards, including mandatory humane slaughter standards for fish, which require that they are stunned, either by percussive or electric method, before being killed. With these standards in place, huge numbers of fish could be spared cruel suffering at the end of their lives.

This follows an announcement by the certification scheme Friends of the Sea last year, that they were to become the first and only scheme to introduce species specific welfare standards.

In the UK, approximately 12,423 metric tons of seafood is certified by Friends of the Sea and 750 metric tons is certified by ASC. This is the equivalent of hundreds of millions of animals each year.

More action needed as a matter of urgency

While we welcome these moves, much more needs to be done to improve the lives of the billions of fish that suffer silently in underwater factory farms every year.

Other welfare issues include overcrowding and starvation, lack of enrichment, and poor water quality – making fish more susceptible to disease and to suffer more stress, aggression, and physical injuries.

Fish deserve a life worth living

Fish are sentient creatures and recent scientific research has discovered that they not only feel pain and experience fear but – like many other animals – they explore, travel, socialise, hunt and play. All farmed fish would benefit from better conditions and environments that meet their physical, mental, and behavioural needs.

Many certification schemes focus primarily on the environmental impact and sustainability of farmed fish, and some have vague or inadequate welfare protections in place. This means that fish are often killed inhumanely enduring slow, painful deaths by asphyxiation, crushing or even being gutted alive.

In 2020, we carried out a YouGov poll which showed that nearly two thirds (63%) of UK consumers were unclear about whether certification schemes protect fish welfare, but 77% think humane slaughter methods should be introduced or strengthened by fish producers.

Nick Palmer, our Head of UK, said: “The addition of these first fish welfare standards, some of which are still in draft form, is great news and an important step forward for millions of fish. However, there is still much more to be done to improve the lives of the billions that suffer silently in underwater farms all around the world.

“Just like other animals, fish are intelligent, sentient beings that need protection from unnecessary suffering – something we know consumers support. The adoption of welfare standards by fish certification schemes also gives them the ability to choose higher welfare products. That’s why we’re working with fish certification schemes to ensure that new welfare standards are properly implemented and that schemes that are yet to take that first step to better welfare get the support and advice they need.”

Take action

Join us in showing the EU commission how much citizens care about the welfare of farmed fish by adding your name to our petition to demand a better future for fish.