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IFOAMEU-Fish Welfare A Key Issue For Organic System Standards P.lemboW
IFOAMEU-Fish Welfare A Key Issue For Organic System Standards P.lemboW
Pino Lembo (COISPA Tecnologia & Ricerca, ICEA - Institute for Ethics and
Environmental Certification)
and Walter Zupa (COISPA Tecnologia & Ricerca)
From the public and from governments, there is psychological) to cope with its environment.
nowadays an increasing interest in the welfare There is abundant literature on the
of farmed fish; among farmers, there is growing physiological and behavioural responses of fish
awareness that good welfare equates to to a wide variety of physical, chemical and
increased success of production activities. biological stressors, including those typical in
aquaculture (Barton, 2002; Conte, 2004; FSBI,
Recital 10 of Regulation (EC) No 710/2009 2002; Wendelaar Bonga, 1997).
states, “Organic aquaculture animal production
should ensure that species-specific needs of Stress responses are useful as indicators of the
animals are met. In this regard husbandry impairment of the normal welfare conditions
practices, management systems and because they represent a natural reaction to
containment systems should satisfy the welfare adverse environmental conditions.
needs of animals. *…+ To minimise pests and Notwithstanding, physiological responses to
parasites and for reason of high animal welfare stress are not necessarily indicative of suffering
and health, maximum stocking density should or of compromised welfare (Huntingford et al.,
be laid down.” 2006). Stress and its associated responses must
be regarded, first and foremost, as an adaptive
Stress and welfare condition of the organism that has the
fundamental function of preserving life.
In view of these legislative requirements, it is
essential to achieve a better understanding of The welfare indicators of farmed fish selected
what welfare represents for farmed fish. In for Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 include “fin
general, welfare refers to the physical and damage, other injuries, growth rate, behaviour
mental state of the animal as it interacts with expressed, overall health and the water
its environment and responds to environmental quality” (Article 25f.2). All these are among the
variations (Chandroo et al., 2004). A more most common indicators (see table below)
anthropocentric interpretation says that the used to assess impairment of each one of the
most important factor is the possession and Five Freedoms (FAWC, 1979), which have
state of certain cognitive capabilities (Duncan, become an accepted framework for evaluating
1996). In aquaculture facilities, however, it is suffering of land-based animals and farmed fish
important to consider not only psychological (Ellis et al., 2002). The framework recognises
and physiological health of the organism, but that animal welfare is complex, reflected in
also the degree of stress it faces (Ashley, 2007; many physiological and behavioural traits, and
Huntingford et al., 2006). Thus, a more therefore that combining different indicators
comprehensive definition of welfare would offers a much more useful assessment than
include the fish’s capability (physiological and relying on a single indicator (FSBI, 2002).
1
This is an extended version of the article published in the IFOAM EU Group dossier: “Organic Aquaculture. EU
Regulations (EC) 834/2007, (EC) 889/2008, (EC) 710/2009. BACKGROUND, ASSESSMENT, INTERPRETATION.”
Whole publication is available at: http://www.ifoam-eu.org/positions/publications/aquaculture/.
Table: The Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare (FAWC, 1979) and the indicators used to assess welfare
impairment (Fish Welfare, 2009).
Water is the medium in which farmed fish have Inappropriate composition and timing of
to meet both their physiological and spatial feeding regimes could cause the impairment of
needs. Changes in water parameters, over fish welfare. Feed distribution in a small area
acceptable ranges, can reduce growth and could generate competition and increased
cause stress that increases the incidence of aggression among fish that in turn could lead to
disease, which is detrimental for fish welfare growth variations reinforcing dominance
and might even be lethal. Water quality could hierarchies (Stevenson, 2007). Aggression can
be influenced by different factors such as the cause injury in farmed fish, especially when
production system, rearing densities and the competition for food is strong (Greaves et al.,
amount and quality of food. Water quality 2001). Feed composition too is important for
refers to chemical parameters such as preserving welfare. Diets lacking in critical
concentrations of dissolved oxygen, carbon micronutrients impair welfare, causing
dioxide, un-ionized ammonia nitrogen, nitrite- morphological abnormalities, poor immune
nitrogen, alkalinity and calcium hardness function, abnormal behaviour and slow growth
(Conte, 2004). Nitrate concentration, pH and (Huntingford et al., 2006). Insufficient levels of
chloride levels are also important. high polyunsaturated fatty acids have a
Theoretically, increasing rearing density will negative impact on the immune system and
decrease water quality because of the oxygen reproductive functions (Poli, 2009), and
consumption, metabolite accumulation and the therefore fish meal and oil are considered
increased amount of suspended solids (Ellis et essential components of feed used in
al., 2002). The latter are caused by the greater aquaculture. The problem is that feeding wild
faecal production and the increased fish fish to farmed fish puts wild fisheries under
movement. Thus, the presence of faeces and unsustainable pressure (Lymbery, 2002). For
food waste are probably the most critical this reason plant protein and oil have been
aspects of the environment for fish welfare used to partially replace fish meal and oil, but
(Ellis et al., 2002). over a certain level in the diet, plant sources
often show anti-nutritional factors and/or ability of the fish to react to other stresses in
unsuitable content of amino acids and essential their environment (Carbonara et al., 2008).
fatty acids that could impair fish welfare. The Phenomena generally associated with high
levels of vitamins, trace minerals and density (including decreased growth, poor
antioxidants also play a crucial role in the nutritional status, increased food conversion
functioning of the immune system and the rate, fin erosion and mortality) are caused by
capability of fish to response to stressful both behaviour (increased competition,
aquaculture events (Ashley, 2007). aggression, physical injury and cannibalism) and
water quality deterioration (Ellis et al., 2001).
The specific rules on feeds for carnivorous Indeed, density-related problems are often
animals in the organic aquaculture associated with intensive cultures when water
implementing rules give first priority to the supply, aeration or oxygenation systems fail.
sustainable exploitation of fisheries, using Hence, it can be understood that stocking
ingredients of fish origin derived from density is an important factor for fish welfare,
trimmings of fish. Other considerations include but cannot be considered in isolation from
“animal health, high product quality, including other environmental factors.
the nutritional composition, which shall ensure
high quality of the final edible product, and low Dealing with this last consideration, Regulation
environmental impact” (Article 25j). However, (EC) No 889/2008 states that stocking density
fish meal exclusively derived from trimmings is should be set according to species or species
rather poor of amino acids and essential fatty group and the effects of stocking density on the
acids, as well as produces a greater catabolites welfare of farmed fish are monitored
accumulation. The most challenging problem is, considering both the condition of the fish and
therefore, to identify the proportion of the water quality (Article 25f.2). The stocking
trimmings which achieves the optimum trade- densities indicated in Annex XIIIa represent an
off between, the high quality of the final attempt to balance consideration for welfare,
consumer product, a low environmental impact high quality and profitability. If duly justified, a
and the sustainable exploitation of fisheries. possible revision of these limits might be
introduced after July 2013, depending on on-
Stocking density farm experiences.