Farming News - New guidance to better protect Scottish salmon at slaughter welcomed by RSPCA
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New guidance to better protect Scottish salmon at slaughter welcomed by RSPCA
- But charity says Scottish and UK Governments must do more for salmon welfare
- The RSPCA has welcomed new guidance issued by the Scottish Government aimed to better protect salmon at the time of slaughter - but changes need to be enshrined in law to be “more meaningful”.
The Scottish Government has on Thursday 17 July, published guidance on the slaughter of salmon, which is based largely on the RSPCA’s pioneering welfare standards. This includes ensuring that the fish are pre-stunned, the use of CCTV throughout the slaughter process and prohibiting certain methods of slaughter such as asphyxiation.
These welfare improvements have been welcomed by the RSPCA but the Scottish and UK Governments need to go further by enshrining these protections in law, a measure also recommended by the 2025 report from the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee which undertook a year long enquiry into salmon farming.Such a move would make it a legal requirement to provide higher standards of care for salmon at this important time - rather than just providing guidance for farms.
Sean Black, Senior Scientific and Policy Officer for Aquaculture at the RSPCA, said: “This guidance is an important step forward for salmon welfare, and incorporates a large number of the RSPCA's pioneering welfare standards.“But we believe that issuing guidance does not go far enough and urge the Scottish Government to do something more meaningful and introduce legislation to protect salmon at the time of slaughter.
“Nevertheless, we’re pleased that our pioneering standards have been influential in developing the Scottish Government’s own guidance on this issue. Whilst our standards cover over 70% of farmed Scottish salmon, we wish to see all farmed salmon have this protection - so this guidance is a big step forward. But ultimately protecting all salmon can only be achieved by mandatory rather than voluntary standards put in place to further protect salmon welfare.
“Sadly, there is no detailed or species specific legislation to protect farmed fish, including at the time of killing and, for too long, there has been a reliance on voluntary schemes such as the RSPCA Assured scheme which has detailed requirements to better safeguard fish welfare at all stages of their lives. The Scottish Government could make a real statement by legislating and enshrining the standards in law.”
As a minimum, the RSPCA wants legislation to include the need to stun prior to slaughter, as the absence of stunning can cause significant suffering, as well as the banning of cruel killing methods, such as asphyxiation (deprivation of oxygen). The charity believes it should be a requirement that all equipment used in the slaughter facility is fit for purpose, that all personnel involved are trained and competent, and that all phases of the process are covered by CCTV - all of which are already required under the RSPCA’s standards.
Sean added: “Like all fish, salmon are sentient animals with multiple scientific studies demonstrating that they have feelings and experience emotions. The way that we treat them should take this into account, and the importance of showing respect for every kind - but currently the law itself is woefully inadequate to protect farmed fish.”
For more information on the RSPCA’s welfare standards visit: https://science.rspca.org.uk/sciencegroup/farmanimals/standards