Tilapia is the most widely farmed tropical fish globally, and their welfare in intensively managed pond and cage systems is increasingly receiving attention.
Tilapia welfare has received less attention than higher-value species like Atlantic salmon, yet the scale of production — and the evidence that tilapia have significant welfare capacity — makes this an important gap. Social stress from crowding, water quality deterioration, and handling during grading and harvest are the primary welfare concerns. Research into tilapia welfare is growing, and the alignment between welfare-positive management (reduced crowding, better water quality, less aggressive handling) and production outcomes provides economic incentives for adoption even in low-cost production contexts.