Inhumane Farming and Slaughter Practices in Fish

Critical housing conditions, problematic transport procedures and painful slaughter methods: the gaps in EU fish protection regulations are exposed in a disturbing new investigation of fish farms across Europe.

A new investigation by the organisation Essere Animali, published in collaboration with Compassion in World Farming, reveals the shortcomings of current EU animal welfare legislation, which clearly fails to protect farmed fish. The shocking footage filmed during the investigation – carried out at several trout farms as well as some sea bass and sea bream farms – exposes farming, transport and slaughter practices that cause immense suffering to the animals, as they are only inadequately regulated by specific EU regulations.

In Europe, fish are among the most commonly farmed animals: in 2017 alone, an estimated 1.3 billion fish were killed within EU borders for human consumption. Unlike land animals, however, the current EU legislation applicable to farmed fish contains only a few general requirements, formulated in such a way that the limited provisions on animal welfare during the various rearing stages (Directive 98/58/EC), during transport (Regulation (EC) No 1/2005) and at the time of slaughter (Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009) are difficult to apply.

The serious animal welfare problems documented in the investigation show that farmed fish across Europe urgently need better protection. Fish are farmed in greater numbers than any other animal, yet they are also the animals most neglected by EU legislation. We now have a unique opportunity to call on the European Commission to end their suffering and protect the lives of more than one billion fish per year by significantly improving EU legislation to ensure adequate protection of their welfare at every stage of farming.

Dr Krzysztof Wojtas, Head of Fish Policy at Compassion in World Farming

The investigation sheds light on the cruel conditions found in many European intensive fish farms. Confined in concrete tanks, high stocking densities can compromise water quality, allowing pathogens and diseases to spread rapidly. The overcrowded tanks can also cause fish to become increasingly stressed and aggressive towards one another. The footage shows dead fish floating on the surface of the water, indicating the high mortality rates within the industry. The bare and overcrowded conditions in the facilities further illustrate how understimulating an environment farmed fish are kept in – unable to fulfil many of their natural behavioural needs, they are instead forced to swim in endless circles.

Furthermore, the investigation shows that transport represents one of the most critical phases during which the welfare of farmed fish is seriously at risk. Prior to transport, fish are typically subjected to a lengthy fasting period that can last up to several days, causing significant stress to the animals. Loading and unloading can be carried out carelessly, and without appropriate equipment, fish may be left out of water for several minutes at a time. Poorly designed pumps and nets, combined with careless handling, result in physical injuries to the fish and cause acute emotional distress.

Fish are sentient beings with remarkable cognitive abilities, capable of experiencing not only negative emotions such as pain, fear, and suffering, but also positive emotions such as joy and pleasure arising from positive interactions with fellow species members and their environment. The European Commission has a great opportunity to ensure better legal protection, also thanks to insights from scientific research that have made it possible to identify more humane farming methods. It is time to listen to the voice of concerned citizens who demand that the silent suffering of fish in European aquaculture facilities be brought to an end.

Simone Montuschi, President of Essere Animali

The images documenting the killing of the animals bear witness not only to the inadequate implementation of EU legislation, but also to its obvious shortcomings with regard to specific requirements for protecting the welfare of fish at the time of slaughter. Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009 provides that animals must be spared «avoidable pain, distress or suffering» at the time of killing (Article 3(1)). However, the absence of further specific rules on the most appropriate stunning and slaughter methods for different fish species means that cruel and painful practices remain widespread. The investigation shows that fish suffer agonisingly following ineffective electrical stunning, carried out either in ice slurry or outside the water in wooden and marble containers: loss of consciousness does not occur immediately, as evidenced by the animals’ violent attempts to escape. This is further corroborated by the presence of conscious fish during packaging operations at the processing facility.

The European Commission is currently revising EU animal welfare legislation in line with the provisions of the «Farm to Fork» and will present a new legislative proposal in autumn 2023. The need to include fish welfare in the revision is all the more urgent given that the EU Platform on Animal Welfare and a research team commissioned by the Committee of Inquiry on the Protection of Animals during Transport (ANIT) have already developed and published specific recommendations for both husbandry practices (water quality and handling) and transport practices.

By publishing this new study, Essere Animali joins the campaign by Compassion in World Farming, which aims to call on the European Commission, in particular the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), to include the protection of fish welfare among the priority objectives of the revision of EU animal welfare legislation. The initiative is supported by a petition intended to show European Commission officials how much citizens care about fish and their welfare in aquaculture.