Lack of inspections at fish slaughterhouses a ‘disgrace’, says Animal Equality UK
Summary
Up to 77 million fish are killed each year in the UK, but there are no regular or mandatory government inspections of fish slaughterhouses in England and Wales. Animal welfare groups and some government advisers have called for laws to protect fish during slaughter and for inspections to ensure these laws are followed, but no new rules have yet been made.Key Facts
- Around 77 million fish are slaughtered annually in the UK.
- England and Wales have no routine or mandatory inspections of fish slaughterhouses.
- Government bodies responsible for animal welfare say they do not routinely inspect these facilities.
- The Farm Animal Welfare Council has recommended legal protections for fish slaughtering since 1996, with further calls in 2014 and 2024.
- The UK government promised to create humane slaughter rules for farmed fish in its 2025 Animal Welfare Strategy but has not yet introduced legislation.
- Animal Equality UK says the delay puts millions of fish at risk of painful deaths.
- The British Trout Association reports nearly 290 trout farms in the UK, mostly in northern and southern England and southern Scotland.
- The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) states it investigates fish welfare concerns and Fish Health Inspectorate conducts inspections but does not carry out routine checks of slaughterhouses.
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