Recirculating aquaculture systems for catfish provide better water quality control but introduce new welfare challenges from confinement and handling stress.
Catfish in recirculating systems generally have better water quality than pond-farmed fish, reducing chronic welfare stress from ammonia and low oxygen. However, confinement stress from high densities and the unnatural enclosed environment creates other welfare challenges. Mechanical failures in filtration can cause rapid catastrophic water quality deterioration and mass mortality. Handling during harvesting causes acute stress. Their welfare in these systems depends critically on management quality and emergency response protocols.