Tilapia is one of the most globally important farmed fish species, with welfare challenges centred on high stocking densities, water quality management, and the welfare of this highly social fish.
Tilapia's physiological resilience is often mistaken for welfare robustness. While tilapia can survive poor water quality conditions that would kill more sensitive species, they are fully capable of experiencing stress, and chronic exposure to overcrowded, poor-quality conditions causes measurable physiological stress responses. Their social nature means that high-density systems without adequate space generate chronic aggression and disrupted dominance hierarchies. Slaughter welfare for tilapia is poorly standardised, with many operations using asphyxiation or ice slurry without stunning. As tilapia production expands into new markets, there is an opportunity to establish better welfare standards.