First fish certification welfare standards welcomed, but more must be done
On 1 September, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council opened the second and last open public consultation on its fish welfare project. This project aims to identify key impacts on farmed aquatic animal welfare and develop new and improved welfare standards. ASC's draft humane slaughter standards for fish include a ban on the use of ice slurry – a cruel slaughter method that leaves fish fighting for their lives as ice gets lodged in their gills. This follows Friends of the Sea's 2021 introduction species-specific welfare standards to improve fish rearing, slaughter, transport, handling, and welfare training.