Channel catfish is the most farmed fish species in the United States, produced in large earthen ponds across the southeastern states with specific welfare considerations.
Channel catfish welfare in US pond aquaculture is primarily affected by water quality management and harvesting practices. Warm summer temperatures combined with algal blooms can cause overnight oxygen depletion events that kill thousands of fish through hypoxic suffocation. Emergency aeration using paddle wheels or pumps mitigates but cannot always prevent these welfare events. Harvesting involves seining that concentrates fish into decreasing water volumes, causing crowding stress, oxygen depletion, and physical injury before loading. Slaughter methods have historically received little attention in US catfish processing. The scale of catfish production and the welfare improvements available represent a significant opportunity to improve animal welfare outcomes through relatively straightforward management changes.