NEW YORK (Nov. 13, 2024) – A new survey released today by Compassion in World Farming shows that an overwhelming 78% of people in the United States want better protection for farmed fish.

The survey by Sapience polled more than 1,000 people across the U.S. to measure public attitudes to aquatic animals, awareness of fish farming practices and their consumption of fish products.  

Around 270 million fish (203,000 tons) are farmed in the U.S. per year, and there is currently no specific legislation that addresses their unique needs, allowing for unethical practices to persist. As a result, many experience pain and needless suffering in intensive farms. 

Overcrowding makes them more susceptible to disease and stress, aggression and physical injuries, and starvation is commonplace. In the U.S., fish are often killed inhumanely and many endure slow, painful deaths by asphyxiation, or even being gutted alive, despite extensive research demonstrating that fish are sentient beings, able to feel pleasure and pain.

The poll also showed that:

Many U.S. citizens are oblivious to the most common fish farming methods and their consequences. 58% showed low awareness of current fish farming practices. For example, only 19% are aware that most farmed salmon are deaf due to intensive breeding practices.

64% of people believe that fish can feel pain

60% of people support legislation to require stunning before slaughter of aquatic animals

When it comes to buying fish products, an overwhelming 7 out of 10 people said they would like to buy fish raised in better welfare conditions, while 49% said that they would like fish products to include clear welfare labelling that reflect how the fish were reared and killed. 

Alex Cragun, U.S. Head of Campaigns at Compassion in World Farming added: “Our new survey shows that the overwhelming majority of U.S. citizens polled care about the welfare of farmed fish. However, many are unaware of the cruelty that can be inflicted on-farm and during slaughter. All this needless suffering occurs because they lack legal protection. Fish, like animals farmed on land, are sentient beings, who need laws to minimize their suffering. We need Congress to respond to the public’s concerns by passing the OCTOPUS Act of 2024 and introducing legislation providing federal protections for farmed fish.”

The survey was completed by 1,053 respondents in the U.S. between March 20 and April 5, 2024. The surveyed samples were representative of the national population in terms of age, gender and region. The survey was carried out in a total of 12 countries, in partnership with Eurogroup for Animals, including China, Czechia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands and United Kingdom.

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For more information, please contact: Madison Longenecker at madison.longenecker@ciwf.org.

Notes to Editors  

  Compassion in World Farming was founded in 1967 by a British dairy farmer who became horrified at the development of intensive factory farming. Today Compassion is the leading farm animal welfare organization dedicated to ending factory farming and achieving humane and sustainable food. With headquarters in the UK, we have offices across Europe, in the U.S., China and South Africa.

Survey details can be found here.

3. A summary of recent U.S. consumer surveys regarding aquatic animal welfare can be found here.