Examining welfare challenges in tilapia farming — one of the world's most produced freshwater fish — and opportunities to improve conditions for millions of animals in intensive systems.
Tilapia are often treated as welfare-robust due to their physiological tolerance of poor conditions, but this conflates survival with wellbeing. Fish that survive crowding, low oxygen, and social disruption are not necessarily thriving — chronic stress compromises immune function, growth, and behavior. Welfare improvements in tilapia farming include lower stocking densities, reliable aeration systems, disease prevention through good husbandry rather than routine antibiotic use, and sex-reversal methods that minimize hormone exposure. Tilapia farming at scale represents an enormous opportunity for welfare improvement given the number of animals involved.