Basa and Pangasius Catfish Welfare: Production and Trade

Key Facts

• Vietnam produces over 1.5 million tonnes of pangasius annually for export to 140+ countries
• Pangasius are air-breathing catfish tolerating low dissolved oxygen — but welfare is still affected by extreme crowding
• Common disease problems including columnaris, motile Aeromonas, and white spot disease cause significant mortality
• Pre-slaughter welfare in Vietnamese processing plants is improving but varies greatly between facilities
• Antibiotic use is a major welfare and food safety concern in some pangasius operations

Welfare Considerations

Pangasius welfare at the production scale is significant due to the enormous volume of fish involved. While their air-breathing capacity means they survive low-oxygen conditions that would kill other species, survival is not welfare — crowding stress manifests as impaired immune function, increased disease susceptibility, and reduced feeding efficiency. Processing plant welfare varies widely: better-equipped facilities use electrical stunning, but traditional methods without stunning are still widespread. Consumer demand for certified products has driven some improvement, but the global scale of production means welfare improvements have enormous potential impact.

What You Can Do

• Choose ASC-certified pangasius or basa products — certification requires minimum welfare and environmental standards
• Ask retailers about the country of origin and processing plant certification of pangasius they stock
• Support Fish Welfare Initiative and similar organizations engaging directly with Vietnamese aquaculture producers
• Advocate for mandatory welfare standards to be required by EU and UK pangasius import regulations
• Raise awareness of pangasius welfare as part of broader aquaculture welfare advocacy campaigns