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New standards proposed for farmed fish welfare
Proposals structures fish health around three main pillars; routine operations, handling and slaughter.
Regulator calls for consideration of fish sentience.

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), a global certification organisation for farmed seafood, is calling for the UK to extend animal welfare laws to fisheries.

Under the ASC's new draft welfare standards, which aim to improve current aquaculture practices for fish welfare, all farmed fish certified with an ASC label will need to be slaughtered in a more humane manner.

Along with more humane slaughter practices, the ASC is also proposing stricter rules regarding the health management of farmed fish, requirements for water health and handling.

The new criteria includes detailed requirements for employee training, with an emphasis on handling operations. These include requirements on crowding and taking the fish out of their normal rearing environment.

To prevent the suffering of farmed fish, the proposed ASC standards will require farms to make stunning compulsory, as well as eliminate the use of asphyxia, CO2, salt baths, ammonia baths and evisceration as killing methods.

Discussing the role of veterinary and fish health professionals in the new proposal, a spokesperson for the ASC told MRCVSOnline: “The new content reinforces the relevant role veterinarians and fish health professionals play within the field of aquaculture. For example, several indicators require veterinary review and endorsement. 

“The new proposal introduces the concept of welfare being more than just the freedom of negative stimuli, but the exposure to positive ones. 

“It also introduces best practices when it comes to slaughter, an area significantly neglected in aquaculture when compared to other food producing animals. 

“It requires the involvement of veterinarians/fish health professionals on the health management and follow up of farms (through the need of a Fish Health Management Plans). Thus, all in all, the new draft brings fish welfare to an equivalent level to that of other farmed animals.”

Further information can be found on the ASC website.

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Defra shares new Sanitary and Phytosanitary guidance

News Story 1
 Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.

The agreement, which will change the movement and trade of animals and related products, could see reductions in checks, paperwork and certification. As well as describing regulatory developments, the advice highlights the importance of animal ID, registration and traceability in disease control and other compliance arrangements.

The guidance can be found here. More detail is expected as negotiations progress. 

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News Shorts
Lords Committee opens Pet Parasite Medication inquiry

The House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee will launch its inquiry into Pet Parasite Medication (PPM) on Wednesday (3 June).

Focusing on treatments containing fipronil and imidacloprid, the inquiry will seek to understand distribution pathways and the impacts of PPM use and non-use on biodiversity and human health. It will also cover current regulation, monitoring, and the potential implications for pets and their owners.

The committee will hear evidence from environmental non-governmental organisations and research institutes. The public can follow the proceedings live on Parliament TV or in person in the Palace of Westminster.