European seabream is one of the most important Mediterranean aquaculture species. Understanding welfare challenges in sea cage and pond systems guides better husbandry practice.
Seabream welfare in Mediterranean aquaculture involves managing a species with pronounced stress sensitivity in systems that frequently challenge their physiological limits. High-density sea cage and pond systems concentrate fish beyond optimal welfare thresholds, increasing competition, reducing dissolved oxygen, and elevating ambient pathogen loads. Eye cataracts — a painful, vision-impairing condition — are prevalent in seabream fed histidine-deficient diets, representing a preventable welfare harm with known nutritional solutions. Handling during grading, vaccination, and harvest causes acute stress responses with measurable welfare impacts. Better welfare in seabream production requires lower stocking densities, nutritionally complete diets, less stressful handling protocols, and water quality management that maintains oxygen levels supporting active swimming behaviour.