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The three-year project, supported by a $2.7 million (approx. £2m) grant from Open Philanthropy, will expand on previous work funded by the organisation. That earlier initiative focused on farmed fish welfare in Thailand and Vietnam, with this latest phase extending activities to Indonesia and supporting the continued development of the Asia Fish Welfare Network.
Previous work concentrated on improving the knowledge and interest of stakeholders throughout farmed fish value chains, the stages involved in bringing fish from production on farms to consumers, in countries where it is an important part of the diet and there are some of the largest concentrations of farmed fish and shellfish in the world.
The Stirling-led programme aims to increase awareness and improve welfare practices across the fish farming value chain – from production to harvest and slaughter – in countries where aquaculture plays a critical role in both food security and the economy.
Expanding welfare research and local capacity
“Across Asia there are serious welfare issues that affect millions of aquatic animals and there is an urgent need to drive change. In addition, there is very little awareness about the importance of improving the situation, and we believe that projects such as this can help to change that,‘‘ said Professor Dave Little, deputy head of the Institute of Aquaculture, in a press release.
“Understanding consumer and other stakeholders’ perceptions is critical to improving practices throughout the value chain, by identifying and targeting areas that could improve welfare the most. In the first project, we identified harvest through to slaughter as being critical points where practice could most effectively be improved,‘‘ added Little.
The new grant will be used to manage research studies in the target countries on areas of fish welfare – from practical and biological aspects to social and economic factors.
Workshops and outreach activities involving academics and practitioners working in aquaculture will also be developed, as well as expanding exchange and mentorship programmes to build networks and institutional capacity.
It will also be used to support six Masters students from Vietnam, Thailand or Indonesia to take a fully funded course at the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture.
Industry partnerships and future innovation hub
“We've supported the University of Stirling’s work on farmed fish welfare in southeast Asia for the past three years and we're excited to see what the next phase of their work brings. The team has prioritised building and supporting local fish welfare research communities in Thailand and Vietnam, and has partnered with industry and policymakers to maximise the chances that the fish welfare improvements resulting from their work are taken up sustainably. This kind of field-building and industry-facing groundwork is important for fish welfare now and into the future,” said Michelle Lavery, programme associate, Farm Animal Welfare at Open Philanthropy.
The grant will fund the project for three years with Professor Little working alongside Simão Zacarias as project and research coordinator and John Bostock, who will provide support with communications and educational material.
The announcement comes as the University nears completion of its new National Aquaculture Technology and Innovation Hub (NATIH), funded by a £17 million UK Government investment through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal and a £1 million Wolfson Foundation grant.
The NATIH facility will be integrated into the Institute of Aquaculture, one of the UK’s leading centres for aquaculture research, and is expected to play a key role in advancing sustainable practices, including fish welfare and environmental management, across the industry.
