Grouper aquaculture is expanding rapidly in Southeast Asia to meet demand for live reef fish, with welfare challenges from live transport, aggressive behavior, and disease.
Grouper welfare is particularly challenged by the live fish market preference, which extends transport time and handling stress far beyond what conventional slaughter-at-farm systems require. Breeding success in captivity to replace wild-caught juveniles would improve both sustainability and welfare by eliminating capture stress. Pre-slaughter stunning for grouper destined for non-live markets represents an achievable welfare improvement. Disease management through improved water quality and vaccination reduces chronic welfare burden.