Research on fish behaviour has led to development of enrichment strategies for aquaculture that reduce aggression, improve growth, and enhance welfare in farmed fish.
Environmental enrichment for farmed fish is a relatively recent but rapidly developing field, driven by growing recognition of fish sentience and welfare. Research demonstrates that farmed fish in barren tank environments exhibit increased aggression, abnormal repetitive behaviours, and elevated stress hormones. Structural enrichment, flow variability, and feeding enrichment can significantly improve these indicators. The challenge is scaling enrichment to commercial aquaculture systems where cost and practical constraints limit implementation.