Fish health and welfare
Duty of
care
Looking after fish wellbeing is an imperative for the industry
F
ish welfare is in the news. The aquaculture industry has come under fire, ini�ally a�er a report from Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) – accompanied by undercover video footage showing dead and injured fish – alleged poor prac�ce in the Sco�sh salmon farming industry. Then, a controversial documentary shown on Ne�lix – Seaspiracy – took aim at the fishing industry as a whole, including aquaculture. The allega�ons and conclusions in both the CIWF report and Seaspiracy are contested by the industry. Responsible fish farm operators take the welfare of their stock seriously, not only for economic reasons but also because the industry needs to do the right thing – and to be seen to do it. Governments are also serious about fish welfare and they have also challenged the industry recently. In Norway, a government study of premature mortali�es in salmon farming has found that 2020 was one of the worst years for mortali�es in the country’s farms. The Norwegian Veterinary Ins�tute has called for “new thinking” to address the ma�er (see Vince McDonagh’s ar�cle, page 34 of this issue). In Scotland, the Farmed Fish Health Framework under Government agency Marine Scotland has set out a clarified set of priori�es: addressing the causes of fish mortality, understanding the impact of climate change and the development of treatments. The steering group for the 10 year framework, a collabora�on between the aquaculture sector and Sco�sh Government and its advisers, will be chaired by The Sco�sh Government’s Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Sheila Voas. The key priori�es for the framework will be: • developing a consistent repor�ng methodology for collec�on of informa�on on the causes of farmed fish mortality, and providing survival data; • addressing the impact of climate change and ocean acidifica�on, including real-�me monitoring of plankton and mapping clima�c condi�ons around Scotland’s coasts; and • encouraging the development of new medicines with the aim of increasing treatment flexibility.
www.fishfarmermagazine.com
As from 29 March, repor�ng on sea lice numbers is now mandatory for fish farmers in Scotland. While previous arrangements required repor�ng only where specific levels were met or exceeded (a weekly average of two adult female sea lice per fish), sea lice numbers will now need to be reported weekly, one week in arrears, to Sco�sh ministers irrespec�ve of the count. Where no count is conducted the reason must be given. Meanwhile the industry itself con�nues to find ways to be�er protect its stock. Vaccina�on has long been a game-changer against many biological threats, but since fish are very sensi�ve to handling, automated and semi-automated machines need to ensure that vaccines are delivered efficiently, accurately and in a way that has least impact on the fish. Aquaculture medical group PHARMAQ has been providing vaccina-
LET AutoTend LET LET AutoTend TAKE CARE OF YOUR EGGS! LETAutoTend AutoTend Repor�ng TAKE TAKE CARE OF YOUR EGGS! CARE YOUR EGGS! TAKE CAREOF OF YOUR EGGS!
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Top: Nofima found hydrolysed krill in feed led to improved skin quality for smolts Above: Dr Sheila Voas
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