Pangasius catfish farming is one of the world's largest aquaculture sectors, with welfare challenges in intensive Vietnamese production requiring attention.
Pangasius aquaculture operates at a scale that makes welfare improvements high-impact - with over a million tonnes produced annually, even modest per-fish welfare improvements represent enormous aggregate benefit. Extreme stocking densities cause chronic stress even in this hypoxia-tolerant species. Antibiotic use patterns raise both welfare and public health concerns. More robust welfare standards in pangasius certification, consumer demand for welfare-assured products, and retailer sourcing commitments can drive meaningful improvement across this major global aquaculture sector.