Grouper aquaculture in Southeast Asia involves capture of juvenile wild fish for grow-out, combining wild welfare harm with intensive captive production challenges.
Grouper production creates a dual welfare crisis combining the welfare harms of wild capture with those of intensive captive rearing. Wild juvenile capture involves net capture, crowding in small containers, and transport that kills a significant proportion of caught fish through stress and injury. Survivors adapted to solitary reef life are then confined in crowded sea cages with conspecifics, experiencing chronic social stress and aggression. Live fish trade requires extended transport of stressed fish to reach high-value markets, prolonging welfare compromise.