Feed conversion efficiency in aquaculture is linked to welfare: fish converting food efficiently are generally healthier and less stressed.
Feed conversion efficiency in aquaculture is both an economic metric and a welfare indicator. Fish converting feed efficiently are doing so because they are healthy, unstressed and well-managed. Conversely, fish under chronic stress, with disease burdens or in poor water quality divert metabolic resources from growth to stress response and immune function, reducing conversion efficiency. This alignment between welfare and efficiency means that welfare investment in reducing stress and improving conditions generally improves economic performance simultaneously, creating a positive incentive structure for welfare improvement in commercially motivated farms.