The key causes of FLW, which are mainly linked to quality and to the mortality of fish during live fish marketing, include: 

• not starved properly before harvesting increases the risk of mortality during live marketing
• harvesting is slow and stressful
• contaminated with mud and dirt from pond or production environment
• contact with unclean surfaces and unclean staff increasing bacterial load
• fish not washed before being iced
• delay in chilling which leads to quality deterioration
• physical damage during harvesting and handling that leads to bruising and damage to fish flesh, accelerating spoilage and mortality of live fish
• bleeding delayed or inadequate bleeding that leads to discoloration of fillets and loss in value
• malfunction of live fish holding and transport technology causing mortality

Extreme deterioration in quality of fish can lead to waste. However, one of the advantages of aquaculture over capture fisheries is that it is possible to have more control over the timing and conditions of harvesting and see subsequent handling process. There is less unpredictability in aquaculture as the species and quantity of fish or shellfish to be harvested is known and harvesting can be conducted at the suitable time conducive for good handling as well as for marketing.