Several factors also suggest asphyxia in ice or chilling in ice slurry are not humane alternatives to stunning in trout, and would lead to an even greater burden of pain as that estimated here. As a cold-water species adapted to temperatures as low as 4 °C, rainbow trout are unlikely to experience rapid unconsciousness from cold exposure alone.

In summary, the WFF enabled quantifying the pain associated with the most common method of fish slaughter, one that affects billions of animals annually. These findings have immediate relevance for shaping slaughter standards and can inform decisions that must balance animal welfare, economic and environmental considerations. Ultimately, this approach may facilitate more evidenced-informed collaboration across disciplines, paramount to improve the lives of animals on a large scale.