Pangasius catfish farming in Vietnam produces over 1.5 million tonnes annually for global export, with welfare standards lagging behind environmental certification improvements.
Pangasius welfare has received less attention than the environmental impacts of the industry, partly because the species' tolerance of hypoxic conditions makes welfare problems less immediately visible than in more sensitive species. However, tolerance of poor conditions is not the same as absence of welfare impact. Studies on pangasius stress physiology show significant cortisol responses to high-density conditions. The environmental certification gains of the past decade need to be matched by welfare improvements.