Slaughter welfare for farmed pangasius is poorly regulated in major producing countries. Improving stunning practices could dramatically reduce suffering in this high-volume industry.
Pangasius slaughter welfare at scale involves billions of individual fish annually. The robustness of pangasius — their ability to breathe air and tolerate hypoxia — means they can remain conscious for extended periods during poor slaughter procedures, potentially experiencing significant suffering. Effective electrical stunning calibrated to pangasius physiology provides immediate insensibility, after which bleeding can be performed humanely. The economic pressure of high-throughput processing lines creates incentives to prioritize speed over welfare. Certification requirements for effective stunning are the most powerful lever for improvement, as they create market incentives that can reach the majority of production when major buyers require certification.