Barramundi are farmed extensively in South-East Asia and Australia in cage and pond systems, with welfare considerations around temperature sensitivity, aggression, and handling during harvest.
Juvenile barramundi in size-heterogeneous groups suffer severe predation by larger conspecifics — a welfare harm inherent to the species biology that requires intensive management. Crowded barramundi in net pens experience chronic fin erosion and scale loss from aggressive interactions with net walls. Temperature drops in winter in temperate Australian farms cause stress, immune suppression, and disease susceptibility. Seining during harvest concentrates fish rapidly in reducing water volume — a stressful and injury-prone process. Slaughter by live ice immersion or chilling is standard but electrical or percussive stunning would improve welfare.