In the field of sustainable energy technology, water electrolysis for hydrogen production plays a crucial role in electrochemical energy conversion, with its technological advancements holding significant importance for achieving the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals. The water electrolysis process comprises two half-reactions: the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the anode. Compared to HER, OER involves a four-electron transfer process (4OH-→O2+2H2O+4e-), characterized by a higher reaction energy barrier. Its sluggish kinetic substantially reduces the overall efficiency of water electrolysis, making OER the primary research focus. Given the scarcity of freshwater resources, seawater, an abundant alternative, offers promising prospects for large-scale hydrogen production. However, direct seawater electrolysis faces multiple technical challenges: (1) high chloride ion concentrations trigger competing chloride oxidation reactions (ClOR), which not only reduce current efficiency but also corrode electrodes and catalysts; (2) gas bubbles generated on electrode surfaces cover active sites and increase interfacial impedance; (3) precipitation of Mg2+ and Ca2+ ions from seawater blocks active sites and degrades catalytic performance. These issues collectively constrain the activity, selectivity, and stability of catalysts in seawater electrolysis systems. This review explores the key challenges of anode catalysts for seawater electrolysis and highlights various catalyst design strategies, such as composition modulation, geometric structure optimization, selective permeation layer design and composite material engineering, with a focus on transition metal oxide catalysts explored in recent years. Future research directions emphasize the integration of theoretical calculations with experimental validation, combined with in-situ characterization and artificial intelligence techniques to identify active sites. Such fundamental insights will provide a robust theoretical foundation for designing high-performance catalysts with superior activity, selectivity, and long-term stability under practical seawater electrolysis conditions.