Catfish are among the most widely farmed fish globally, particularly in the US and Southeast Asia, but welfare standards for this group remain poorly developed compared to salmon or trout.
Catfish welfare is shaped by the same dynamics that affect tilapia: their hardiness allows them to survive conditions that would kill more sensitive species, normalising poor welfare in industry practice. Catfish can breathe atmospheric air, which means they do not immediately asphyxiate in deoxygenated water, but chronic exposure to poor water quality causes persistent stress and immune suppression. The welfare of billions of farmed catfish annually depends on management decisions about pond density, water quality maintenance, and slaughter methods that are largely unregulated by welfare-specific standards. Developing and implementing welfare standards for catfish production would represent a significant improvement in total animal welfare globally.