Tilapia is one of the most farmed fish globally, but stunning and slaughter practices vary widely, with significant welfare implications at the moment of killing.
Fish slaughter welfare has historically been neglected compared to mammalian and avian species. Tilapia possess nociceptors, show learned avoidance of noxious stimuli, and exhibit stress responses consistent with pain experience. Current commercial practices including live chilling and CO2 immersion are increasingly recognized as causing unnecessary suffering before death. The gap between best-practice guidelines and industry norms is wide, and certification schemes are beginning to incorporate slaughter welfare standards. Scaling up effective pre-slaughter stunning is technically feasible and economically achievable.