Indeed, we still need more species-specific research, commercial trials, and operational guidance. However, it is slowly entering mainstream fisheries science. For instance, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has created a formal Working Group on Aquatic Animal Welfare.

But what we do know already, like better on-deck handling protocols, faster processing, transitioning away from prolonged asphyxiation, don't require more science to justify action. We already know these practices cause suffering. The precautionary principle, widely applied in conservation, supports acting on what we know while building the evidence base for what we don't.

We also know that large capture volumes, crowding, injury, stress, poor handling, and slow killing can lower product quality and reduce shelf life. These alone create a business case to improve fisheries welfare, regardless of whether one feels the moral responsibility to do so.