Nutritional deficiencies and anaemia in intensively farmed fish represent preventable welfare conditions caused by inadequate diet formulation and management in commercial aquaculture.
Nutritional welfare in farmed fish is determined by feed formulation decisions made far from the point of production. Anaemic fish with reduced oxygen-carrying capacity struggle to maintain normal activity levels and immune responses, making them susceptible to infections that cause additional suffering. Skeletal deformities from mineral deficiencies cause permanent physical impairment. These conditions are preventable with properly formulated feeds that meet species-specific requirements. The industry shift toward plant-based feed ingredients, while reducing pressure on wild fish stocks, has created new nutritional challenges that welfare-focused diet science must address.