Salmon Retailer Spotlight: Key Welfare Assessment Criteria

Humane fish slaughter:

We're inquiring if salmon in the company’s supply chain are humanely slaughtered, meaning they are stun-killed using percussion or electrocution methods or are pre-slaughter stunned using effective percussion or electrocution, followed by a killing method before regaining consciousness. This ensures the fish do not experience unnecessary pain or distress during slaughter.

Lower stocking densities for farmed salmon:

We're asking whether the company ensures that farmed salmon in its supply chain are reared at low stocking densities, specifically at or below 10kg/m³. Lower densities are associated with improved fish welfare, reducing stress, aggression, and disease risk among fish.

Fish fasting policy:

We're seeking to determine if farmed salmon in the company’s supply chain are not subjected to fasting periods longer than 72 hours, whether before harvest or any other procedure where fasting is required. Limiting fasting duration supports better health and humane treatment.

Use of Key Salmon Welfare Indicators:

We're examining whether the company tracks and reports on the use of welfare outcome measures (WOMs)—these are indicators related to the physical, emotional, and behavioral wellbeing of fish. Reporting on these measures shows a commitment to monitoring and improving animal welfare throughout the production process.

Use of cleaner fish to treat sea lice

We're asking if the company uses cleaner fish e.g., wrasse or lumpfish to remove sea lice from farmed salmon, and if so, whether it ensures the welfare of these cleaner fish. We’re also asking if the company has made a public commitment to adopt more humane alternatives for sea lice treatment when available. This reflects concern for the humane treatment of all species involved in aquaculture, although Compassion advocates for ending the use of cleaner fish.

No use of high stocking density grow-out RAS

We’re seeking to determine whether the company uses or plans to use high stocking density grow-out Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS). Compassion advocates for a ban of these types of systems.

Salmon Welfare: Urgent Call to Action for Industry Improvement

The Food Business team at Compassion engages with all UK retailers to develop their salmon welfare policies and improve their public reporting. However, more needs to be done across the industry to improve the welfare of farmed salmon.

We are calling on retailers to:

- Create and uphold their own dedicated salmon welfare policies, providing consumers with clear information about the welfare standards of the salmon they purchase.

- Use Compassion’s Spotlight to collaborate with their suppliers, ensuring the most impactful welfare criteria are captured, implemented and adhered to.

- Critically evaluate assurance schemes on their welfare credentials, ensuring the appropriate schemes are affixed to products that align with their salmon welfare credentials.

Finally, we urge consumers to use the information provided in the Spotlight to guide their choices about which products to buy and where to buy them.