Line of action:

Status:

Execution date:

General:

Develop and apply innovative technical, scientific or organisational knowledge in aquaculture farms that improves animal welfare, facilitates sustainable production methods and reduces the impact on the environment.

Specific:

1. To gather and analyse the management practices of aquaculture farms in Spain, the state of the art of scientific knowledge and welfare legislation in sea bream, sea bass, turbot and rainbow trout, as the most produced species in aquaculture in Spain.

2. Strengthening the competitiveness of the Spanish aquaculture sector through R+D+i, transfer and networking.

3. To improve the positive effects of aquaculture through R+D+i and to minimise the environmental impact.

4. Disseminate knowledge on aquaculture fish welfare.

A.1.1 Bringing together the management practices of aquaculture farms in Spain

A.1.2 Bringing together scientific knowledge on welfare in sea bream, sea bass, turbot and rainbow trout

A.1.3 Analysis of European, national and regional legislation on the welfare of aquaculture fish

A.1.4 Integrated analysis of the state of the art in animal welfare of sea bream, sea bass, turbot and rainbow trout

A.2.1 Development of validation tests for R+D+i lines of work

A.2.2 Analysis of validation tests

A.3. 1 Definition of the transfer of animal welfare optimisation to companies

A.4.1. Results Transfer Sessions

A.4.2. Dissemination of knowledge

The Spanish Aquaculture Business Association (APROMAR) has carried out all the activities planned to develop and apply innovative technical, scientific or organisational knowledge in aquaculture farms that improve animal welfare, facilitate sustainable production methods and reduce the impact on the environment.

Firstly, a study of the current status of the four species under study has been carried out based on interviews with different agents involved. In addition, the current legislation was analysed and a SWOT and a classification of lines of improvement were drawn up.

Subsequently, validation tests were carried out. On the one hand, in CETGA, the effect of oxygen concentration in turbot culture has been evaluated in terms of the effect it has on growth, conversion rate, robustness, stress and biochemical parameters. In addition, an experimental challenge has been carried out against the parasite Philasterides dicentrarchi, not initially contemplated, to compare the resistance of the different groups subjected to different concentrations of oxygen in their growth. On the other hand, at CTAQUA the effect of different feeding regimes on productive parameters, biometric and somatic indices, metabolic and stress indicators and water quality in sea bass has been evaluated. Likewise, at the University of Cádiz, the animal welfare parameters of the validation tests of these technology centers have been analyzed. Finally, a transfer work protocol has been developed for sea bass and another for turbot to be applied in a second phase of the project, defining guidelines to carry out future validation tests on farms.

After completing the above described activities, it is concluded that:

• The concept of welfare in farmed fish is still undetermined, from the technical-productive point of view. This prevents a direct and wide application in farms, and specifically in those that are part of this study and that dealt with sea bream, sea bass, turbot and rainbow trout.
• The Spanish aquaculture production sector of these four species clearly deals with the problems related to the welfare of fish on their farms and their scope and impact on society. It is also making steady progress in its development and application.
• The companies that produce these species consider that there is not enough technical and scientific knowledge about the set of aspects that make up the welfare of fish. Maximum effort is required in the execution of research and applied research studies in this field.
• Gaps in knowledge of current national and international animal welfare regulations have been observed, with their consequent lack of application in aquaculture farms.
• It is considered essential to define Well-being Indicators (OWI), prepared by the sector itself and with the participation of scientific, technical and institutional actors, which allows objective progress in this field and guarantees its implementation.
• The key elements in the stress control of farmed fish are: quality of the water of the culture; available space for the fish within its culture enclosure or culture density; food and competition for food; oxygen available in the water. As far as handling operations are concerned, those that involve the greatest stress for the animal are: selection of fish and their transfer to culture tanks; sanitary treatments (baths with biocides, vaccination by injection, etc.); transport of live fish from the hatchery to the fattening farm; fishing and slaughter process.
• The robustness observed in the fish of the different groups subjected to a challenge against Philastarides dicentrarchi, shows that the mortality rate is lower in fish raised with high oxygen saturation.
• Increasing feeding frequency decreases competition between the animals in the housing and plasma cortisol levels.

Regarding the dissemination of the project, a day of transfer of results was held, with 31 participants, and various channels were used for the dissemination of the project: social networks, dissemination in the media and internal bulletins.