A Global Assessment of Welfare in Farmed Fishes: The FishEthoBase

Saraiva, João L.; Arechavala-López, Pablo; Castanheira, Maria Filipa; Volstorf, Jenny; Studer, Billo Heinzpeter

doi:10.3390/fishes4020030

Cited by 44 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 86 publications

(98 reference statements)

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“…The identification of critical tilapia welfare issues seems essential for farmers to adopt preventive management actions (93). For example, some conditions such as gill and fin problems are affected not just by handling, but also by the confinement conditions (5,44) and seem to deserve higher levels of attention.…”

Section: Applications and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tilapia On-Farm Welfare Assessment Protocol for Semi-intensive Production Systems

Pedrazzani

Quintiliano²,

Bolfe³

et al. 2020

Front. Vet. Sci.

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The aim of this study was to develop and test a tilapia on-farm welfare assessment protocol, based on Brazilian semi-intensive production systems. The study included two mains steps: the elaboration of tilapia welfare protocol and its on-field feasibility test. The protocol, including the potential indicators organized into health, environmental, nutritional, and behavioral categories, was tested on three farms. Skin, eyes, gills, jaws, fins, and vertebral spine were individually examined in 139 individual tilapias. Water physicochemical parameters and production system were considered. The overall nutritional status of individuals was assessed through body condition factor, feed conversion ratio, feed crude protein ratio, and feed ingestion behavior. During massive capture, signals of stress, level of crowding, and duration of air exposure were registered. Time required for loss of consciousness was evaluated by clinical reflexes and other behaviors during slaughter. Eye, jaw, and gill scores were different across farms (Kruskal-Wallis test, p = 0.011; 0.015; 0.043, respectively), showing good discrimination power. Critical welfare points were extremely low dissolved oxygen in water, fin and skin lesions, prolonged air exposure during pre-slaughter handling and non-humane slaughter techniques, as decapitation or asphyxia. The protocol presents practical viability and it is an initial step for the development of a tilapia welfare strategy, where the prioritization of critical welfare points, implementation of corrective actions and monitoring of the results is part of a permanent welfare management system.

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Section: Applications and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tilapia On-Farm Welfare Assessment Protocol for Semi-intensive Production Systems

Pedrazzani

Quintiliano²,

Bolfe³

et al. 2020

Front. Vet. Sci.

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“…Do they have the opportunity to make choices? Yet the SWIM protocol is a forward-thinking improvement on the total absence of protocols for the majority of farmed fish species [35]. The paucity of knowledge about fish welfare is a consequence of several key hurdles discussed below.…”

Section: An Updated Concept Of Animal Welfarementioning

confidence: 99%

From Land to Water: Taking Fish Welfare Seriously

Sánchez-Suárez

Franks

Torgerson-White

2020

Animals

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This article aims to use contemporary (terrestrial) animal welfare science as a lens to evaluate the state of knowledge concerning welfare in fish species, focusing on farmed fishes. We take advantage of the vast expertise—including previous pitfalls and accomplishments—in the investigation of welfare in terrestrial vertebrates, borrowing questions and methodologies from terrestrial animal welfare science in order to (1) better understand the challenges and opportunities in the study of welfare in fish species, and (2) propose strategies for filling knowledge gaps.

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“…However, the use of a reduced number of indicators results in a limited comprehensiveness, that may at times lead to an inadequately assessed fish welfare. A different attempt evaluating the potential for welfare in fish husbandry is based on knowledge about wild populations [ 38 ]. This approach, mainly focused on a nature-based aspect of welfare, underestimates the difference of proximate and ultimate causes of welfare.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MyFishCheck: A Model to Assess Fish Welfare in Aquaculture

Tschirren

Bachmann

Güler

et al. 2021

Animals

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Welfare in animal husbandry includes considerations of biology, ethics, ecology, law and economics. These diverse aspects must be translated into common quantifiable parameters and applicable methods to objectively assess welfare in animals. To assist this process in the field of aquaculture, where such methods are largely missing, we developed a model to assess fish welfare. A network of information was created to link needs, i.e., fundamental requirements for welfare, with parameters, i.e., quantifiable aspects of welfare. From this ontology, 80 parameters that are relevant for welfare, have practicable assessment methods and deliver reliable results were selected and incorporated into a model. The model, named MyFishCheck, allows the evaluation of welfare in five distinct modules: farm management, water quality, fish group behaviour, fish external and fish internal appearance, thereby yielding five individual grades categorising welfare ranging from critical, to poor, to acceptable, and good. To facilitate the use of the model, a software application was written. With its adaptability to different fish species, farming systems, regulations and purposes as well as its user-friendly digital version, MyFishCheck is a next step towards improved fish welfare assessment and provides a basis for ongoing positive developments for the industry, the farmers and the fish.

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A Global Assessment of Welfare in Farmed Fishes: The FishEthoBase

Cited by 44 publications

References 86 publications

Tilapia On-Farm Welfare Assessment Protocol for Semi-intensive Production Systems

Tilapia On-Farm Welfare Assessment Protocol for Semi-intensive Production Systems

From Land to Water: Taking Fish Welfare Seriously

MyFishCheck: A Model to Assess Fish Welfare in Aquaculture

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