Animal category: Fish

French technical note setting out how EU Regulation 2016/429 (LSA) applies to movement of live aquatic animals between Member States.

News article setting out the particular welfare needs of fish during transport, and analyzing the parts of the proposed revisions to the European regulations on animal welfare during transport that specifically address fish welfare. 

Proposal to revise the European regulation on the transport of live animals in such a way as to reduce the animal welfare impacts of long journeys and repeated unloading and reloading, increase the space per animal during transport, improve transport conditions for vulnerable animals  avoid exposing animals to extreme temperatures, facilitate the application of EU rules on animal welfare, and better protect animals exported to third countries and cats and dogs transported as part of an economic activity.

Impact assessment setting out the animal welfare implications of the legislative proposal on the transport of live animals. The impacts addressed are economic, social and environmental.

Article using machine and deep learning techniques to analyze changes in goldfish behavior following changes in environmental parameters (water temperature and dissolved oxygen).

Guide from the Aquaculture Advisory Council offering  recommendations for all those involved in the sector, but also for the European Commission and Member States.

Summary of a report on investigations carried out at four trout farms in Poland to document typical farming practices on trout farms. After providing an overview of trout farming in the EU, it identifies welfare and health hazards, poor handling techniques, and inefficient and painful slaughter systems. It recommends that regulations should be introduced for the rearing, transport and slaughter of each species of farmed fish, and that research should be encouraged to improve welfare in these species.

Scientific review on the use of phytotherapy rather than treatment with antibiotics n aquaculture for reasons of sustainablility. It looks at the mechanisms of action of phytogenic compounds, the efficacy of different dosages and ways of administering compounds, and their toxicity for several aquatic species.

Scientific article on the value of qualitative behavioral assessment to evaluate the welfare of farmed salmon. It aims to assess the effectiveness of QBA in measuring changes in the emotional behavior of salmon following a stressful event.

Expert opinion providing recommendations for improvements to   the welfare of farmed fish at the time of slaughter. It highlights the fish sentience, recommends effective stunning methods, and proposes rules to reduce stress and suffering before slaughter. It recommends a legal requirement for inspection , the use of video surveillance on slaughter sites, tighter controls and sanctions, and better management of voluntary code standards.