Historic first as Animal Equality protests for farmed fish in England
On 6th October 2026, Animal Equality activists and allies made history, taking to the Government’s doorstep to demand urgent action for farmed fish.
For the first time ever, a protest has been held in England calling for stronger legal protections for farmed fish at the time of slaughter.
Our peaceful demonstration came just days after an Animal Equality investigation, reported by The Guardian, revealed that there appears to have never been a welfare inspection at a farmed fish abattoir in England or Wales.
This is despite the fact that millions of farmed fish are killed every year in the UK, and despite the Government’s own scientific advisers having recommended stronger protections for fish at slaughter for nearly three decades.
It is time for that to change.
Decades of expert advice, and still no action
On 28th September 2023, the Government’s Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) published its updated opinion on the welfare of fish at the time of killing.
Its recommendations included:
- Mandatory stunning at slaughter
- CCTV in fish abattoirs
- Increased oversight and inspections
- Greater transparency around on-farm mortalities
- Penalties for legal non-compliance
These recommendations were not new, since Government advisers had already raised concerns about the welfare of farmed fish at slaughter in opinions dating back to 1996 and 2014.
Nearly three decades later, farmed fish are still waiting for these recommendations to become law.
The Government has itself recognised the need for change. Its Animal Welfare Strategy commits to “improving welfare at the time of killing, including by introducing legislative requirements for the humane slaughter of farmed fish.”
And in response to a Parliamentary question in September 2026, Farming Minister Stephen Morgan MP confirmed that the Government intends to “consult on introducing humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish into legislation.”
But we cannot afford for this commitment to disappear into another round of promises and delays.
That is why we took action.
Taking the fight to the Government
On Tuesday 6th October, Animal Equality submitted a letter to Government Ministers Angela Eagle and Stephen Morgan, alongside The Humane League UK, Compassion in World Farming, the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation and the RSPCA, to call on the Government to act.
Our message was simple: launch the promised public consultation. Introduce legislation. Put in place laws for farmed fish in their final moments of life.
We have had decades of expert recommendations. We have had years of evidence. We have had promises of action.
Animals cannot wait another year.
The protest was peaceful but purposeful, bringing attention to a group of animals that has been routinely overlooked by the law.
Because while farmed fish may be out of sight for most people, their suffering is very real.
Fish are being left without meaningful protection
An Animal Equality Freedom of Information investigation found that just two welfare inspections were conducted on fish farms across a five-year period in England and Wales.
More alarmingly, the information obtained indicated that there has never been a welfare inspection at a farmed fish abattoir in England or Wales.
That means millions of animals can enter slaughter systems without any meaningful kind of species-specific legal protections, oversight or enforcement.
And our investigations have shown why those protections are desperately needed.
Footage captured in 2025 at a trout farm in England showed fish being beaten with batons, mishandled and left to suffocate. Members of the public, including a child, were involved in handling the fish despite appearing to lack appropriate training.
Other investigations across the UK have documented farmed fish being dragged from the water, left to suffocate, crushed and crowded together, and killed while still showing signs of consciousness.
This is what animals can face when there are inadequate legal requirements, insufficient oversight and no effective system of enforcement.
Guidance isn’t enough
There are now reports that the Government may be considering issuing guidance for the welfare of farmed fish rather than introducing binding legislation.
That would be a serious mistake.
Guidance without legal force cannot provide the same protections as clear, enforceable legislation.
Scotland provides a warning. Despite guidance being in place, evidence obtained through a Freedom of Information request relating to filming at a Scottish salmon farm in October 2025 showed fish moving and suffocating before being dropped alive into an ensiler. Another fish was killed with a baton after suffocating for more than a minute.
The regulator concluded that “farm animal needs are not being met” and classified the incident as medium priority.
In another case, a complaint concerning allegations including fish suffocating and being placed alive into containers resulted in a veterinary risk assessment which referenced Scottish Government guidance. Despite the potential breach, the inspection requirement was assessed as low.
If the Government is serious about better protecting farmed fish, it must introduce statutory protections that can be enforced.
Fish deserve protection in law
Fish are sentient animals capable of experiencing pain, fear and distress.
Yet, there are no species-specific laws in place in their final terrifying moments of life. There is no principled reason for this.
That is why we are calling on the Government to introduce legislation and set out a clear timetable for doing so.
What’s next?
Our protest has made history. But we won’t stop here.
We have yet to receive a response from Stephen Morgan MP or his team, and we won’t let the Government’s silence be the end of this story. You can help, by contacting your MP today.
We’ve made it easy.
Use our pre-written form to contact your MP and ask them to call on Farming Minister Stephen Morgan to launch the promised public consultation and introduce slaughter legislation.
It only takes a couple of minutes, but every message adds pressure for the Government to act.
Farmed fish have been waiting nearly 30 years. Let’s not make them wait any longer.
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Protect Fish
Scientists confirm that fish feel pain and suffer. Protect these sensitive beings by choosing plant-based alternatives to animal food products.
