Catfish are among the world's most farmed fish species. Advancing beyond harm prevention to positive welfare in catfish aquaculture represents a growing frontier in fish welfare science.
Positive welfare in catfish farming goes beyond preventing disease and injury to actively creating conditions for fish to thrive. Catfish are intelligent, curious fish that benefit from environmental enrichment including substrate variation, hiding structures, and current variation. In monotonous pond environments they show reduced behavioral diversity and increased stress indicators. Optimal water quality, appropriate stocking density, and species-appropriate diets form the foundation. Positive welfare indicators include active exploratory behavior, normal shoaling patterns, healthy feeding responses, and good body condition. Research by the Fish Welfare Initiative and others is developing practical welfare assessment tools for farmed catfish. Slaughter welfare — including appropriate stunning — remains an important and often neglected area in catfish production.