Welfare of farmed fish: What, why, how – and is it worth the effort?

A survey of the interaction between production conditions, disease prevention and breeding of farmed fish can give important indications of how to improve the health, welfare and quality of cultured fish.

This is what the participants of the so-called Welfare Project of the Danish National Institue of Aquatic Resources (DTU Aqua) decided to investigate back in 2005. The objective was to be able to present a number of forward looking strategies – especially useful for practical fish farming of  today.

The Welfare Project officially finishes by the end of this year, but as early as Thursday the 26th November 2009, from 09:30-16:00, it is possible for fish farmers and consumers of farmed trout to take part in the dissemination of the results of the Welfare Project. Furthermore, the participants can receive answers to questions such as: why is research on fish welfare carried out? What does the legislation say re. fish welfare? What is new about breeding for resistance to disease? What do fish density, flow rate and temperature mean for fish welfare? DNA vaccination – at which temperature? Are the consumers willing to pay extra for good fish welfare? Also other subjects will be emphasized: fitness of the fish , disease control as an advantage for welfare, prevention of rainbow trout fry syndrome (RTFS)  and VHS.

The farmed fish Welfare workshop will take place at The Freshwater Centre (Ferskvandscenteret), Vejlsøvej 51 in Silkeborg, Denmark. The workshop is held in co-operation with Dansk Akvakultur/AquaCirkle and with support from BioMar.

Please register before the 20. November 2009 with Marianne Sneftrup, Dansk Akvakultur: (+45) 89212260 or Marianne@danskakvakultur.dk