Independent report

FAWC advice on farmed fish welfare

Farm Animal Welfare Committee opinions on the welfare of farmed fish and on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing.

Documents

Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish

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Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The reports recognise that the industry takes fish welfare seriously and has adopted voluntary codes of practice and assurance standards.

Farmed fish have less detailed legal protection than other farm animals on farm or at killing. FAWC’s advice aims to influence progress on this at European and domestic levels with well researched and clearly expressed advice.

The advice reaches conclusions on killing methods for fish FAWC considers should or should not be used and why.

FAWC makes recommendations for reviews of enforcement of existing regulation and of veterinary medicines available for fish; as well as on management, husbandry, training and research topics.

FAWC last reported on the welfare of farmed fish in 1996.

You can read more about the work of the Farm Animal Welfare Committee.

Updates to this page

Published 14 February 2014

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