Animal Equality co-hosts urgent discussion on legal protections for farmed fish in Scottish Parliament
On Tuesday 21st January, Animal Equality UK co-hosted a Scottish Parliamentary reception alongside The Animal Law Foundation and the Humane League UK to highlight the urgent need for stronger legal protections for farmed fish. Sponsored by Christine Grahame MSP, the event brought together decision-makers, industry representatives, and animal protection organisations to address the stark lack of legal protections for farmed fish.
A legal blind spot for farmed fish
Despite overwhelming scientific consensus that fish can think, feel, and experience pain just like other animals, there are no species-specific legal protections in place for farmed fish across the UK.
An estimated 77 million fish are farmed and slaughtered in the UK annually – most of them Atlantic salmon in Scotland – making them the second-largest group of farmed animals after chickens. Yet, without clear legal protections, these animals are at risk of enduring extreme and prolonged suffering in their final moments on earth.
Across the globe, regulatory standards for fish are evolving. Countries like Norway, the Netherlands, Germany, and New Zealand already have domestic regulations requiring effective stunning at slaughter.
By neglecting to enact species-specific slaughter legislation for farmed fish, Scotland risks falling behind these global legal standards.
What happened at the event
Speaking at the reception, Abigail Penny, Executive Director of Animal Equality UK, stressed the critical need for legal safeguards:
These proposed laws are not only sensible, they are essential. Without clear guidelines, there will always be room for ambiguity in enforcing compliance in salmon abattoirs. This is not just a technicality; it’s a very real problem with potentially dire consequences. Animal Equality’s investigations have uncovered distressing instances of fish suffering unnecessarily, from having their gills cut while conscious, to being clubbed or suffocating to death on boats. Without our documentation, I question whether these incidents would have been picked up or penalised. We must put in place proper legal protections and we must make them count. We owe it to the animals.
Meanwhile, The Animal Law Foundation stressed that laws on paper are meaningless without proper enforcement.
Farmed fish currently have some legal protections under the Animal Health and Welfare Act in Scotland. This legislation protects fish from unnecessary suffering and requires that their welfare needs must be met, such as the need for a suitable environment. They also need to be spared avoidable pain and suffering at the time of killing. The issue, however, is there has been no clarity on what these protections mean in practice, for example what is a suitable environment for a farmed fish? As a result of this, there has never been one prosecution or official care notices issued for breaches of animal welfare law, despite investigations revealing significant concerns. This is why we are calling for official guidance, to offer clarity on what the law means, which in turn will facilitate enforcement action where there are breaches of the legal protections.
Edie Bowles, Founder and Executive Director of The Animal Law Foundation
Sean Gifford, Managing Director of the Humane League UK, then highlighted the devolved governments’ long-standing inaction:
It has been fantastic to get decision-makers round the table in Scotland, the heart of UK fish farming, and discuss the serious threats facing the welfare of farmed fish. Talk is good but action is what is needed, as Government committees have highlighted for decades the need to take fish welfare seriously. Fish can think and feel; and as fish farming continues to grow, failing to protect these sensitive animals becomes ever more unjustifiable.
Elena Edwards of Animal Concern further reinforced the need for meaningful and immediate reforms:
Lip service and more research means nothing without adequate enforcement and an improvement to existing legislation. Following the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee recommendations, we look forward to seeing vast improvements to address the ongoing challenges, and ensure these fish are afforded the protection they need. Salmon must be treated as more than just “biomass” – they are sentient beings that should not suffer for the sake of profit.
Progress for fish to date
Since 2021, Animal Equality has been fighting for stronger protections for fish. Thanks to our exposés and widespread media coverage, millions are waking up to the truth about salmon farming. With mass public support – including over 16,500 petition signatures – and backing from world-leading experts in fish welfare, our movement is growing stronger.
Over 70 influential animal welfare experts, academics, and organisations support our call for the UK Government to introduce species-specific protections for fish at the time of killing. In addition, 25 leading experts stand with us in demanding mandatory CCTV in fish abattoirs.
Even the Government’s own advisory body, the Animal Welfare Committee, agrees. In 2023, it submitted key recommendations to the government – many of which mirror our demands – including mandatory stunning at slaughter, CCTV in fish abattoirs, increased training and oversight, reporting on cleaner fish mortality rates, and penalties for non-compliance.
What happens next?
Right now, the Scottish Government is considering these expert-backed proposals. While they deliberate, we won’t stop pushing until these protections are written into law.
We will continue to expose the suffering of farmed fish, laying bare the ugly truth of this industry’s actual practices for all to see.
Each event, each exposé, and each media headline takes us one step closer to justice for fish.
Take action
Remember, you can make a significant impact by keeping salmon – and all animal products – off your plate.
Every year, approximately 100 million fish die at the hands of the UK fish farming industry, including not only those who are cruelly slaughtered but also the millions more who perish beforehand on farms from disease, lice, predation and warming waters.
Don’t pay for their pain. It has never been easier to make compassionate choices – why not start your plant-based journey today?
Protect Fish
Scientists confirm that fish feel pain and suffer. Protect these sensitive beings by choosing plant-based alternatives to animal food products.
