Carp farming is a significant part of EU aquaculture. Every year, EU production exceeds 60,000 tonnes, representing at least 26 million fish. Poland and Czechia together account for more than half of this production.
In Czechia alone, more than five million carp are farmed annually, making carp the country’s most farmed fish species. However, only a small proportion are killed in slaughterhouses. A substantial share are slaughtered at street stalls or sold live for home slaughter as part of a Christmas tradition. These practices expose fish to extreme stress, pain and prolonged suffering. Each year, around 10,000 tonnes of live carp are also exported from Czechia and Poland to other EU countries.
Scientific evidence is clear that fish are sentient beings, capable of feeling pain, fear and distress. EU law formally recognises fish sentience, yet, in practice, millions of fish remain effectively unprotected during farming, transport and slaughter.
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