Channel catfish is the most commonly farmed fish in the United States, produced in large outdoor ponds with significant welfare challenges around crowding, disease, and slaughter.
Catfish welfare is poorly addressed in US aquaculture regulation. Crowding in production ponds creates stress responses, increases aggression, and drives disease outbreaks. ESC causes bloody, ulcerative lesions and systemic organ failure — fish suffering from active infection experience significant distress. Handling stress during grading, crowding for transport, and live hauling to processing plants all cause acute cortisol spikes and tissue damage. Slaughter practices lack standardization: some facilities use effective electrical stunning while others rely on asphyxiation alone. Catfish are among the least welfare-regulated farmed species in the United States despite their cognitive and sensory complexity.