Document type article published on theIfremer
Author : Ifremer
Preview: Questions put to Marie-Laure Bégout, researcher in fish behavioral ecology, Head of the Palavas-les-Flots Station and of the lab at Ifremer's Experiments in Aquaculture Service, on the occasion of the recent publication of the French Reference Centre for Animal Welfare's (FRCAW) Opinion on slaughtering conditions for farmed fish.
Do fish feel pain?
Yes, a majority of researchers around the world agree that fish feel pain, as do cephalopods (octopus, squid, cuttlefish, etc.) and crustaceans (crabs, shrimp, crayfish, lobster, crayfish). These animals have sufficiently developed nervous systems to feel pain and emotions, particularly negative emotions such as fear and anxiety, which can lead to states of stress. In 2009, work carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provided an initial overview of knowledge on the concept of pain in fish. Along with the findings of more recent research, this work demonstrates, through neuro-anatomical, physiological and behavioral evidence, that fish feel pain. Nevertheless, some authors dispute this evidence, and an article has recently been published listing "reasons to be skeptical about sentience and pain in fishes and aquatic invertebrates". EFSA's 2009 work remains the reference for European recommendations on the farming and slaughter of marine animals. However, as part of the "Farm to Fork" program, the European Union recently asked EFSA to update the "welfare on-farm" section in the light of advances in knowledge over the last 13 years concerning a number of species, including salmon, trout, other freshwater species and marine fish. However, it will be 2029 at the earliest before European regulations incorporate this new state of the art. That's how long it takes for regulations to evolve. It would also be important for these updates to address not only the question of farming, but also the rules for the "protection" of fish during slaughter.
Do fish have the same legal status as mammals and birds?
Yes, at European Union level, and under French law, fish are recognized as sentient beings in the same way as other animals, and Member States must take full account of their welfare in their policies. The European directive on the protection of farmed animals also applies to fish, and stipulates that "Member States shall make provision to ensure that the owners or keepers take all reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of animals under their care and to ensure that these animals are not caused any unnecessary pain, suffering or injury". In fact, this obligation only applies to fish farmers ("owners and keepers" of fish), and not to fishermen, who are considered to be "gatherers".
Are fish slaughtering methods appropriate?
Whatever the method, slaughtering is never "gentle". Rather, we talk of "protective" methods, which inflict as little pain as possible for as short a time as possible. European regulations require that "animals shall be spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations" (Council Regulation (EC) No. 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing). This suggests that fish should be stunned before they are killed, a protective measure that is taken in France for mammals and birds, but only infrequently for fish, and even less so for marine fish. Most European marine fish farmers slaughter fish for consumption in a mixture of water and ice. While the cold paralyzes the fish - and keeps their flesh at 2°C, as recommended by health standards - electroencephalograms have shown that their brains remain active and that they remain conscious before death. Do they feel pain (the bite of the cold on their skin, being piled on top of each other, etc.) and does this cause them suffering? The scientific facts drawn from a wide range of disciplines (physiology, neurology, ethology, etc.) suggest that the answer is yes. The problem is that measuring the intensity of pain and suffering in these species remains a difficult task. For example, to answer the question, neuroimaging (MRI) would be required in order to explore the activity in certain parts of their brains under different slaughter conditions. To make stunning compulsory in France, investment would be required, as would an overhaul of the way companies organize their work, but other countries have already achieved this. In Norway, salmon farmers electrically stun fish (electronarcosis) before bleeding them. In the fishing industry, some major players are being asked by customers (who are increasingly vigilant over animal welfare) how fish are killed on board their vessels. This consumer pressure is prompting certain industrial groups, for example in the Netherlands, to test electronarcosis machines on board their vessels. (...)
Extract from the Ifremer website
