Catfish are among the most commonly farmed freshwater fish in the United States and Asia, with welfare challenges including crowding, water quality, and humane slaughter.
Catfish welfare in intensive farming systems is shaped by the high stocking densities typical of pond-based production. While catfish tolerate lower oxygen levels than salmonids, sustained hypoxia causes chronic stress and elevated cortisol. Water quality management is the primary welfare intervention available to catfish farmers. Harvest and processing welfare is less developed than for salmon, with live hauling and slow slaughter methods still common in many operations. Consumer and regulatory pressure for humane catfish slaughter standards is growing but has not yet matched progress in salmonid welfare.