This paper explores how people think about buying fish, and why many consumers, despite good intentions, still choose products that do not support the welfare of fishes. Research shows that while people increasingly care about sustainability and origin, they often know very little about how fishes are farmed, caught or killed. Concepts like “fish welfare” or “humane slaughter” are unfamiliar to many.
The paper identifies the main factors that shape purchasing behaviour: personal values, trust in labels, perceived quality, price sensitivity and social norms. It also describes three consumer groups: those who care but feel overwhelmed, those who show little interest in fish welfare, and those who are already actively engaged.
One key finding is that many consumers would be willing to pay more for better fish welfare, but only if information is clear, simple and trustworthy. The study shows how communication can help people make informed, responsible choices and how fish welfare can become more visible in everyday purchasing decisions.
Download the paper: 2025. Aurelia Philipps. From Catch to Shopping Cart.
This position paper examines whether electrical stunning can be considered a reliable and ethically acceptable slaughter method for fishes. Although electrical stunning is widely regarded as promising—offering rapid action and high processing efficiency—recent scientific evidence raises significant concerns. Studies show that some fishes regain measurable brain activity only seconds after stunning, indicating a potential return of sensibility before death. This possibility directly violates fundamental principles of humane slaughter.
Another key issue is the limited reliability of behavioural indicators commonly used in the industry to judge unconsciousness. Reflex loss or stillness can be misleading. Neurophysiological tools such as EEG or visually evoked responses (VER) provide far better confirmation but are rarely implemented in commercial settings. In addition, there is a lack of species-specific parameters, validated field data, and enforceable standards for many aquaculture species.
The paper also outlines technical and systemic challenges, including inconsistent current distribution in wet stunners, risks of pre-stun shocks in dry systems, and delays between stunning and killing that may allow recovery of brain function. fair‑fish therefore calls for robust EEG/VER-based validation of stunning systems, improved equipment design, and further development of alternative approaches such as percussive stunning or spiking.
Overall, the paper concludes that current electrical stunning methods cannot yet guarantee consistently humane slaughter conditions for fishes. Substantial research, innovation, and regulatory action are required to ensure that fishes are rendered fully and irreversibly unconscious before death.
Download the paper: 2025. Yannick Rohrer et al. Reassessing Electrical Stunning as an Ethical Slaughter Method for Fishes.
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