Tilapia is one of the most farmed fish globally, but welfare standards vary enormously across production systems, with intensive operations raising significant concerns about crowding and handling.
Tilapia welfare receives relatively little attention compared to salmon, partly because their hardiness allows them to survive conditions that would kill more sensitive species. However, survival is not welfare: tilapia held at high densities in warm, poorly oxygenated water show stress responses that compromise immune function and increase disease susceptibility. The normalisation of poor conditions in tilapia farming is reinforced by the low market value of the product, which creates economic pressure against welfare investment. Improved slaughter methods, density limits, and water quality standards represent achievable welfare improvements that would benefit the billions of tilapia farmed annually.