Growing evidence of fish cognitive complexity has driven research into cognitive enrichment for farmed fish, with studies showing that environmental complexity and problem-solving opportunities improve welfare indicators in several species.
Fish cognition is more complex than intuition suggests: fish learn from observation, remember spatial layouts, form social relationships, and show evidence of play behaviour. These cognitive capacities mean that barren, uniform aquaculture environments cause not just physical welfare problems but cognitive deprivation. Enrichment that provides current variation, structural complexity, hiding spaces, and feeding challenges engages fish behaviour in ways that reduce stress and improve welfare indicators. As aquaculture expands globally to feed a growing world population, the welfare of farmed fish must be addressed through evidence-based enrichment standards that reflect their cognitive needs.