Tilapia slaughter practices globally vary widely, with many producers using methods that cause prolonged suffering that more humane alternatives could prevent.
Tilapia welfare at slaughter receives less attention than salmon despite similar evidence that fish experience pain and stress. Common slaughter methods including air exposure and ice slurry without prior stunning cause prolonged physiological stress and potential pain experience over several minutes. Electrical stunning prior to slaughter can achieve immediate insensibility and is technically feasible for tilapia. The economic argument that welfare improvements are unaffordable is not supported by evidence from salmon farming, where humane slaughter has been implemented at commercial scale. Consumer and retailer pressure for tilapia welfare standards is growing but has not yet matched that for salmon.