This article was featured in Eurofish Magazine 4 2026.
The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) has welcomed a European Commission (DG SANTE) overview report on farmed fish welfare, while warning that its main conclusions overlook central scientific and operational realities of the sector. FEAP says welfare needs vary widely by species, production system and life stage, with juveniles, portion sized fish and large fish facing very different requirements and notes the report does not reflect how these differences affect its conclusions. It also points to major scientific gaps, particularly around stunning technologies, where EEG studies show that species respond differently and that electric stunning is not universally effective.
The federation highlights that fish slaughter in most EU countries happens on farm or aboard small vessels rather than in dedicated slaughterhouses, limiting which technologies are feasible for small and micro enterprises. It also says the report wrongly labels traditional brackish water pond systems in Italy, Greece and Spain as “marine pond systems,” when “coastal lagoon” is more accurate, and relies heavily on NGO studies while overlooking Eurobarometer data on public attitudes. Secretary General Javier Ojeda said legislation ignoring farm level realities would not improve welfare but could push production outside the EU, where standards may be lower, calling instead for reliable documentation measures before binding requirements.
