Genetic selection in tilapia aquaculture has produced fast-growing strains that require careful welfare management as growth rate selection can compromise fish health and robustness.
Genetic improvement in tilapia has delivered enormous productivity gains but requires welfare oversight to ensure selection pressures do not inadvertently compromise disease resistance, stress tolerance, or behavioral welfare. Monitoring welfare outcomes including fin condition, immune function, and stress hormone levels in improved strains identifies adverse welfare consequences of selection programs before they become entrenched. Welfare-informed breeding programs balance productivity with robustness.