Pangasius (basa/swai catfish) is farmed in enormous volumes in the Mekong Delta, with welfare standards highly variable across the industry.
The scale of pangasius production — billions of fish per year — means that even modest welfare improvements have enormous aggregate impact. Current welfare challenges include crowded growing conditions, suboptimal slaughter methods and the stress of processing-line handling. Pangasius are hardy, tolerant species that can survive poor conditions that would kill more sensitive fish — but survival is not the same as welfare. Their air-breathing adaptation means surface access monitoring is a specific welfare indicator not relevant for most farmed species. Certification scheme adoption is the primary lever for industry-wide welfare improvement.