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. 2023 Feb 6;32:e12. doi: 10.1017/awf.2023.4

Table 4.

Estimated numbers of farmed fishes killed for food by country (2019), with comparative birds and mammals and stated legal protection

Rank Country Finfish production 1 ‘000 t % Total fish tonnage Estimated numbers (millions) 1 to 2 sig fig % Total numbers (midpoint) Number of birds (millions) 1 Number of mammals (millions) 1 Any animal welfare law covering fish slaughter? 2 Top species
Lower Upper Midpoint General Some detail
1 China 27,086 48% 43,000 100,000 72,000 58% 13,776 1,223 No Pond loach
2 Indonesia 4,913 9% 9,000 22,000 15,000 12% 4,883 31 Yes No Torpedo-shaped catfishes nei
3 India 7,006 12% 5,000 10,000 7,700 6% 2,765 109 Yes No Catla
4 Bangladesh 2,343 4% 3,200 5,700 4,500 4% 347 36 No Tilapias nei
5 Vietnam 3,137 6% 3,000 5,600 4,300 3% 633 46 Yes No Striped catfish
6 Philippines 709 1% 2,200 3,800 3,000 2% 1,242 32 Yes 3 No Milkfish
7 Myanmar 1,020 2% 1,900 3,900 2,900 2% 1,397 26 No Silver barb
8 Egypt 1,642 3% 2,100 3,700 2,900 2% 994 46 No Nile tilapia
9 Thailand 431 1% 740 2,300 1,500 1% 1,287 14 No Nile tilapia
10 Turkey 367 1% 810 1,400 1,100 1% 1,215 33 Yes No European seabass
11 Cambodia 292 1% 620 1,200 930 1% 25 3 ? Silver barb
12 Brazil 530 1% 630 1,200 900 1% 5,906 89 No Nile tilapia
13 EU27 536 1% 620 1,000 810 1% 6,694 337 Yes 4 No 4 Gilthead seabream
14 Iran 450 1% 600 770 690 1% 1,970 8 No Rainbow trout
15 Nigeria 289 1% 340 830 590 <1% 240 56 Yes No North African catfish
16 Taiwan 198 <1% 320 670 490 <1% 412 8 Yes No Milkfish
17 Japan 278 <1% 270 530 400 <1% 803 17 No Silver seabream
18 Malaysia 153 <1% 210 530 370 <1% 630 2 Yes No Torpedo-shaped catfishes nei
19 Colombia 165 <1% 220 480 350 <1% 965 11 Yes 5 No Tilapias nei
20 South Korea 112 <1% 180 370 280 <1% 1,045 19 No Bastard halibut
21 USA 203 <1% 250 290 270 <1% 9,594 167 No Channel catfish
22 Norway 1,451 3% 210 310 260 <1% 70 3 Yes 3 Yes Atlantic salmon
23 Peru 57 <1% 210 270 240 <1% 787 65 Yes 3 No Rainbow trout
24 Chile 990 2% 190 280 230 <1% 311 7 Yes No Atlantic salmon
37 UK 203 <1% 42 59 51 <0.1% 1,136 29 Yes No Atlantic salmon
39 Canada 144 <1% 27 53 40 <0.1% 796 52 Some 6 ? Atlantic salmon
48 Australia 73 <1% 15 36 26 <0.1% 667 47 Some 6 NSW? 6 Atlantic salmon
73 Switzerland 2 <0.01% 4.7 7.4 6.1 <0.01% 78 4 Yes 3 Yes European perch
82 New Zealand 14 <0.1% 4.1 4.1 4.1 <0.01% 125 27 Yes 5 Yes Chinook salmon
Total above 54,794 97% 76,000 170,000 120,000 98% 60,793 2,548
Others 1,534 3% 1,600 2,800 2,200 2% 15,956 898
World 56,327 100% 78,000 170,000 120,000 100% 76,748 3,445
1

Source of fish tonnage: FAO (2021). Source of fish numbers: see text. Source of birds & mammals: FAO (2020a).

2

According to the authors’ interpretation, laws in several countries contain general animal welfare requirements covering farmed fish slaughter, usually one to avoid unnecessary suffering (see Table S8). Law with some detail means fish-specific, but not species-specific, slaughter welfare codes.

3

Law appears specifically to require proper stunning, or that immediate unconsciousness is caused, at slaughter.

4

No detailed law at EU level.

5

Law specifically requires rapid loss of consciousness or rapid death.

6

No federal law. Yes in one or more states but not all.