Preventing disease in fish farming is both an animal welfare imperative and an economic necessity, requiring integrated health management approaches.
Disease in farmed fish causes significant suffering including behavioral changes, reduced feeding, physical lesions, and mortality. The relationship between welfare and disease is bidirectional — poor welfare conditions increase disease susceptibility, and disease itself degrades welfare. Preventive strategies that improve baseline welfare conditions (water quality, stocking density, nutrition, handling practices) reduce disease incidence and the need for therapeutic interventions. Where treatment is necessary, welfare-conscious approaches minimize the stress of handling and chemical exposure.