Current status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for translating the guidance, Scottish Government Guidance on Welfare at the Time of Killing in Salmon Farming, published on 17 July 2025, into legislation, as recommended by the Animal Welfare Committee and the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission.
The Scottish Government’s guidance on Welfare at the time of Killing in Salmon Farming is based on the recommendations made by the UK Government's Animal Welfare Committee and developed in conjunction with the Scottish farmed salmon industry, Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) and animal welfare organisations.
The Scottish Government takes the welfare of farmed fish at the time of slaughter very seriously. This welfare is assured by the requirement at Article 3.1 of retained Council Regulation (EC) 1099/2009 that ‘animals shall be spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations’. We have no current plans to introduce further legislation.