Channel catfish dominate US freshwater aquaculture. Improving welfare standards in this large, established industry requires attention to water quality, handling, and slaughter practices.
Channel catfish welfare concerns include crowding during the pond growing phase, handling stress during harvest, and slaughter practices at processing facilities. Catfish harvested from ponds are seined and crowded into small areas before being pumped into transport tanks — a highly stressful process involving acute crowding, oxygen depletion, and physical injury from handling. Transport to processing involves further crowding and stress. At slaughter, electrical stunning followed by rapid decapitation or pithing represents the highest welfare standard. CO2 immersion causes aversive responses before unconsciousness and is considered a less welfare-friendly option. Catfish destined for live markets face extended periods in poor water quality conditions. Research into catfish-specific welfare indicators is relatively limited compared to salmon and trout, representing a gap in the knowledge base.