Channel catfish and pangasius are among the world's most widely farmed fish, yet welfare standards in catfish aquaculture lag far behind other sectors. Improving conditions could benefit billions of fish.
Catfish are sentient beings capable of nociception and stress responses. The scale of catfish farming - billions of animals annually worldwide - means that welfare improvements or failures in this sector have enormous cumulative impact. Common welfare concerns include overcrowding that causes fin damage and chronic stress, poor water quality particularly dissolved oxygen depletion, inadequate stunning before slaughter, and disease pressure from intensive conditions. Research specifically on catfish welfare is limited compared to salmon, meaning many practices persist without evidence base. Given the cognitive complexity catfish display in research settings, taking their welfare seriously is ethically important.