NEW RESEARCH PROVES HARMONISING ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE IS THE FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE

New research proves harmonising animal health and welfare is the future of sustainable aquaculture. 

Published in the ‘MDPI: Fishes’ scientific journal, the article examines cutting edge welfare technologies that enhance production efficiency, improve product safety, and support environmental sustainability

Aquatic Life Institute (ALI) has published new research, released in scientific journal Fishes by MDPI, that establishes an undeniable, intrinsic connection between animal health and animal welfare, asserting that the two concepts are complementary, yet distinct, pillars for sustainable aquaculture. Through case studies, the research explores how farms and companies implementing welfare-forward strategies have shown measurable improvements in animal health, operational efficiency, environmental impact, and product quality.

The article, entitled “Harmonising Animal Health and Welfare in Modern Aquaculture: Innovative Practices for a Sustainable Seafood Industry”, authored by Tessa Gonzalez, Head of Research at ALI, defines animal health as the biological and physiological state of farmed species, while animal welfare encompasses their overall quality of life, including mental and behavioural well-being. The research within shows that prioritising animal welfare is not just an ethical obligation, but a pathway to improved industry practices, public health, and environmental sustainability, and better business.

“By prioritising practices that consider the more positive aspects of individual experience and welfare, we not only meet an ethical imperative, but we also unlock advancements in industry standards, public health, and environmental sustainability—celebrating innovators who lead the charge toward a more responsible future,” said Gonzalez. “This first edition marks the beginning of our journey, and we invite companies to collaborate with us as we grow this collection together.”

“Harmonising Animal Health and Welfare in Modern Aquaculture” examines how the adoption of welfare-enhancing technologies and practices are beneficial to animals and producers alike. Evidence shows that treating welfare as more than a formality not only ensures a higher quality of life for farmed aquatic animals, it also minimises product loss and reputational risk, and enhances final product quality to align with consumer expectations for ethically sourced seafood. In addition, welfare-centric practices decrease public health and disease risks, reduce reliance on antibiotics, and enhance food safety. Further findings conclude that farming practices that foreground both welfare and health lead to resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

As evidenced by the case studies within the article, sustainable advancements in aquaculture will stem from comparing promising approaches, fostering coordination and buy-in, and striving to be as cost-effective as possible in implementation. The pursuit of “best practices” is inclusive, acknowledging that the ultimate goal is to establish a harmonious balance between people, our natural environment, businesses, and the health and welfare of animals in aquaculture.

Farms and companies implementing welfare-forward strategies have shown measurable improvements in animal health, operational efficiency, and product quality.  The article features many case studies of progress, including:

• iFarm’s BioSort: Precision farming for Atlantic salmon, sea-cage aquaculture that has novel technology to recognise individual animals and their health records.

• F3 Feed Innovation Network: A collaborative network to accelerate the scaling of innovative, substitute aquaculture feed ingredients such as bacterial meals, plant-based proteins, algae, and yeast to replace wild-caught fish globally.

• KelpRing — Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Center: The KelpRing comprises a negatively buoyant, year-round platform on which natural kelp grows, providing habitat enrichment for fish.

• Tidal by X in collaboration with Cognizant at Mowi farms: Underwater camera systems and machine perception tools for gathering intelligence on real-time growth, weight distribution, feeding control, and automatic lice counting for salmon.

“At Tidal, we strive to develop machine learning for the next generation of sustainable aquaculture. We feel it is important to leverage our technical expertise to develop tools to support fish health and welfare and reduce feed waste, which has direct implications on environmental impact,” said Kira Smiley, Director of Sales and Marketing at Tidal. “Organisations such as Aquatic Life Institute are critical to this mission in providing the support and guiding influence to help accelerate the adoption of such technologies into aquaculture operations in support of a resilient future for seafood.”

“Harmonising Animal Health and Welfare in Modern Aquaculture” is part of ALI’s ongoing work to encourage progressive development related to animal welfare standards in aquaculture. Interested stakeholders are encouraged to utilise this research as supporting information to incorporate welfare-focused technologies, practices, and policies, as well as develop and enforce standards that prioritise animal welfare. For more information, contact tessa@ali.fish.

About Aquatic Life Institute

Aquatic Life Institute is an international non-profit organisation that works on advancing aquatic animal welfare in both aquaculture and wild capture fisheries globally. The organisation works with certifiers, non-profits, academic institutions, industry stakeholders, governments, and the public to improve welfare of aquatic animals.