Pangasius (Vietnamese catfish) is one of the world's most traded fish, exported globally from Vietnam's Mekong Delta, with welfare challenges around stocking density and water quality in intensive production.
Pangasius's reputation for hardiness has led to welfare being largely ignored in production systems. While the species can survive in degraded conditions, survival does not equal good welfare. High density, poor water quality, and inadequate nutrition cause chronic stress reflected in suppressed immune function and disease susceptibility. The scale of pangasius production - billions of fish - means even modest welfare improvements could affect welfare at an extraordinary scale. Consumer demand for low-cost fish creates economic pressure that makes welfare investment difficult without market incentives.