Tilapia farming dominates Egypt’s aquaculture industry, positioning the country as the world’s third-largest producer of the species.

In a broader context, Nile tilapia farming alone represents over 9% of global aquaculture production, highlighting the immense magnitude of this sector. Unfortunately, despite its scale, there is a profound lack of welfare-focused training for tilapia farmers, leaving fish vulnerable to poor living conditions and unnecessary suffering.

Our new study utilised a Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) survey of 104 tilapia farmers in Egypt in order to better understand existing practices, developmental concerns, and challenges to adopting improved welfare. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge that can help promote the adoption of best welfare practices in Egyptian tilapia aquaculture. 

Key Findings

• Only 11% of farmers surveyed had received any form of welfare training, while 76% expressed interest in learning more about improving fish welfare.
• Fish farmers who received welfare training reported lower mortality rates and fewer issues with slow growth.
• Farmers overwhelmingly recognised water quality as the most crucial factor in fish welfare, yet many lacked the knowledge, interest, or resources to address it effectively.
• A significant knowledge gap was evident, with 89% of farmers feeling confident in their general farming practices, but only 42% feeling confident in their understanding of fish welfare.

To the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the largest survey of tilapia welfare in Egypt to date, providing a rare look into a niche but influential subsector of the global aquaculture industry. As such, the data collection process required careful planning and a localised approach with particular attention to accessibility and comprehension. Enumerators from Ethical Seafood Research facilitated this by visiting farms and hatcheries, providing translation support, and means through which farmers could complete the survey. Participants were compensated for their participation with water testing kits for their farms.

Fish are the most farmed vertebrates on the planet, yet they receive some of the least attention in terms of ethical and welfare considerations. As such, the implications of these findings go beyond individual farms – they highlight a systemic failure to consider and improve the welfare of billions of farmed fish worldwide. 

This study found that in Egyptian tilapia farming, while farmers acknowledged the importance of welfare considerations, they lacked the necessary training and resources to act on it. This gap between knowledge and implementation has consequences, without proper welfare standards, farmed fish experience high mortality rates, stress, and poor living conditions that cause unnecessary suffering. 

The small body problem reminds us that farmed animals like fish are often overlooked and overexploited. Going beyond tilapia, an estimated 111 billion farmed fish are farmed annually, reinforcing the need for attention to and implementation of welfare standards. Luckily, the data collected not only highlights the significant welfare issues faced by farmed Nile tilapia in Egypt but also underscore the potential for welfare improvements. By prioritising welfare education, we can make meaningful strides towards reducing animal suffering and creating a more ethical and sustainable reality of fish farming.