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Photo: Optimar

Atlantic salmon welfare improves with at-sea slaughter, new study finds

Click on the flag for more information about Norway NORWAY
Friday, April 17, 2026, 06:00 (GMT + 9)

Research shows reduced stress levels and comparable product quality when fish are processed offshore instead of transported to land-based facilities.

A recent scientific study published in Aquaculture has provided new insights into how slaughter and transport methods affect the welfare and product quality of Atlantic salmon , one of the most important species in global aquaculture.

As the industry continues to expand and operations become more centralized, the findings arrive at a critical moment for producers managing longer transport distances and increasingly complex logistics.

Key Findings

The research compares two widely used approaches: at-sea slaughter using stun-and-bleed vessels and traditional well-boat transport followed by land-based processing .

The results point to clear welfare advantages when slaughter is carried out offshore:

  • Improved welfare indicators in fish processed at sea
  • Lower physiological stress levels , suggesting better overall condition
  • Slower rigor mortis development , which can influence product consistency
  • Comparable quality during chilled storage , indicating no commercial disadvantage

These findings suggest that reducing handling and transport time can positively influence both animal welfare and processing outcomes.

A graphical illustration of the timeline of the experiment. The figure was created in created in BioRender. Chan (2026) https://BioRender.com/nt9d6u4.  Click on the image to enlarge

Industry Implications

With aquaculture production valued in the billions of US$ globally , maintaining consistent quality while addressing welfare concerns is becoming increasingly important.

Longer transport durations expose fish to additional handling and environmental stress, which can affect not only ethical standards but also product quality, shelf life, and reliability for buyers.

Experimental setup for the welfare assessment of welfare scores, blood measurements, rigor mortis, and pH. 

The study highlights that the final stage before slaughter is a critical control point for both welfare and economic performance.

Industry Perspective

Companies such as Optimar are already developing technologies aimed at improving fish handling across the production chain.

According to Optimar , “Efficient and welfare-oriented stun-and-bleed processes contribute to reduced stress levels and more controlled processing conditions.”

Experimental setup for the quality assessment. SVG and TOS represent Nofima in Stavanger and Tromsø, respectively. For the control group, sampling was done on day 2 at Stavanger and day 5 at Tromsø.

The research reinforces a broader industry shift toward integrating welfare-focused practices as a key component of modern seafood production, balancing efficiency with sustainability and quality.

Read the full study

👉 Slaughtering Atlantic salmon using stun-and-bleed vessels or well-boats and their subsequent effects on welfare and quality

Chan et al., 2026 – Aquaculture


🇯🇵 Japanese (日本語版)

大西洋サーモンの福祉は海上処理で向上、新研究が示す

研究により、陸上施設への輸送ではなく沖合で処理することで、ストレスの軽減と同等の製品品質が得られることが明らかに

科学誌Aquacultureに掲載された最新の研究は、世界の養殖業において最も重要な種の一つである大西洋サーモンの福祉および製品品質に対し、屠殺および輸送方法がどのように影響するかについて新たな知見を提供している。

業界が拡大を続け、操業の集中化が進む中、輸送距離の長期化や物流の複雑化に直面している生産者にとって、本研究の結果は重要なタイミングで発表された。

主な調査結果

本研究は、スタン・アンド・ブリード船を用いた海上処理と、従来のウェルボート輸送後の陸上処理という2つの主要な方法を比較している。

その結果、沖合での処理には明確な福祉上の利点があることが示された:

  • 海上で処理された魚において福祉指標が改善
  • 生理的ストレスレベルの低下により、全体的な状態の改善が示唆される
  • 死後硬直の進行が緩やかであり、製品の一貫性に影響する可能性
  • 冷蔵保存中の品質は同等であり、商業的な不利益は見られない

これらの結果は、取り扱いや輸送時間の削減が、動物福祉と加工結果の双方に好影響を与える可能性を示している。

業界への影響

養殖業の市場規模が世界で数十億US$規模に達する中で、一貫した品質の維持と福祉への配慮はますます重要になっている。

長時間の輸送は魚に追加の取り扱いや環境ストレスを与え、倫理的な問題だけでなく、製品品質、保存期間、そして購入者に対する信頼性にも影響を及ぼす可能性がある。

本研究は、屠殺前の最終段階が福祉と経済的パフォーマンスの両方における重要な管理ポイントであることを強調している。

業界の見解

Optimarのような企業は、すでに生産チェーン全体にわたる魚の取り扱い改善を目的とした技術開発を進めている。

Optimarによると、「効率的で福祉を重視したスタン・アンド・ブリード工程は、ストレスレベルの低減とより管理された処理条件に寄与する」としている。

本研究は、効率性・持続可能性・品質のバランスを図る中で、魚類福祉を現代の水産物生産における重要な柱として統合する動きが業界全体で進んでいることを裏付けている。


🇨🇳 Simplified Chinese (简体中文版)

研究发现:海上屠宰可改善大西洋鲑鱼福利

研究表明,与运输至陆上设施相比,在海上加工可降低压力水平并保持相当的产品质量。

一项发表于科学期刊Aquaculture的最新研究,揭示了屠宰和运输方式如何影响大西洋鲑鱼(全球水产养殖中最重要的物种之一)的福利和产品质量。

随着行业持续扩张、生产运营日益集中化,生产商正面临运输距离延长和物流复杂性增加的挑战,该研究成果在此背景下具有重要意义。

主要研究发现

该研究比较了两种主要方式:使用击晕放血船进行海上屠宰以及传统的通过活鱼运输船运送至陆地后再进行加工

结果显示,海上加工在鱼类福利方面具有明显优势:

  • 在海上处理的鱼类福利指标得到改善
  • 生理压力水平更低,表明整体状态更佳
  • 僵直(死后僵硬)发展更缓慢,可能影响产品一致性
  • 冷藏储存期间的产品质量相当,未显示出商业劣势

这些发现表明,减少处理和运输时间可以同时改善动物福利和加工结果。

对行业的意义

随着水产养殖行业规模达到全球数十亿美元(US$)级别,在关注动物福利的同时保持稳定的产品质量变得愈发重要。

较长的运输时间会使鱼类经历更多操作和环境压力,这不仅带来伦理问题,还可能影响产品质量、保质期以及市场可靠性。

研究强调,屠宰前的最后阶段是影响福利和经济表现的关键控制点

行业观点

Optimar这样的公司,已经在开发旨在改善整个生产链中鱼类处理方式的技术解决方案。

根据Optimar的说法:“高效且以福利为导向的击晕放血工艺有助于降低压力水平,并实现更可控的加工条件。”

该研究进一步印证了行业正在发生的转变:在平衡效率、可持续性与质量的同时,将鱼类福利作为现代水产生产的核心要素加以整合

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