Wels catfish and other catfish species are farmed in central and eastern Europe with welfare considerations related to their large size, carnivorous diet, and sensitivity to handling.
Catfish welfare in European aquaculture systems is affected by stocking density, water quality management, and slaughter methods. As large active predators, catfish have higher space requirements than many farmed fish species. Aggression and size hierarchy within groups causes injury and stress to smaller individuals. Handling during grading causes acute cortisol elevation and injury risk. Oxygen depletion events in intensive systems cause severe distress. Slaughter methods for catfish should include electrical or percussive stunning to ensure unconsciousness before killing. Catfish welfare research is less developed than for salmonids, representing a gap in the evidence base for this commercially important group.