Catfish are the dominant freshwater aquaculture species in the United States and Southeast Asia, with welfare challenges that span the entire production cycle.
Catfish welfare has received relatively little attention compared to salmon and trout, despite the enormous scale of production. The pond-based systems used for catfish farming can support moderate welfare when stocking densities, water quality, and disease management are optimal, but intensification pressure pushes many farms into chronic welfare compromise. Dissolved oxygen crises, disease outbreaks, and high-density crowding during harvest are recurrent welfare problems. The capacity of catfish to experience pain and stress is well established, making the welfare implications of current practices significant. Improvements require regulatory attention, industry investment in monitoring technology, and consumer awareness that aquatic animals deserve welfare consideration regardless of their species.