The consideration and promotion of the mental and physical well-being of farmed aquatic animals, including their housing, transport and handling.
Animal Behavior: Study of how aquatic animals act and interact with their environment and each other.
Animal Welfare: The state of an animal experiencing good physical health and mental well-being.
Aquaculture Systems: Different forms of aquaculture systems, including recirculating, flow-through, and closed systems, and how these systems affect aquatic animal welfare.
Biosecurity: Measures taken to protect fish and aquatic environments from pollutants and pathogens.
Ethics: The moral principles governing behavior surrounding aquatic animal welfare.
Feed and Nutrition: The optimal diet and nutritional requirements of aquatic animals to promote good health and well-being.
Genetics: The study of how aquaculture breeds fish and other aquatic animals to improve survival rates and health.
Health and Disease: Measures taken to improve fish health and to prevent and treat diseases that affect fish.
Legal Frameworks and Regulations: Laws governing the wellbeing of aquatic animals and aquaculture.
Sea Lice Management: Management strategies used to minimize the impact of sea lice infestations that affect farmed fish.
Transportation and Harvesting: Methods used to transport fish and other aquatic animals, as well as harvesting techniques that minimize stress and pain.
Water Quality: How water quality affects fish health and how pollution and other contaminants can affect aquatic animal welfare.
Welfare Assessment: Methods used to evaluate the welfare of aquatic animals, including monitoring the number of fish per unit, monitoring stress levels and monitoring feeding patterns.
Working with Industry: Collaborations and research in the fishing and aquaculture industries to improve how we treat and communicate about aquatic animal welfare.