Channel catfish is one of the most widely farmed fish species in the US. Welfare challenges include stocking density, disease management, and slaughter methods.
Farmed catfish welfare has received less attention than salmon or trout but involves the same fundamental issues of stocking density, water quality, disease management, and slaughter humaneness. Catfish communicate distress chemically, meaning crowded or stressed fish affect their neighbors. Welfare improvements including density limits, water quality management, and effective stunning at slaughter would reduce suffering across a large population.