PROJECT NUMBER
•
2013-049
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
Bresal Consulting
TAGS
SPECIES
31,032 results
Aquatic animal welfare – a review of guidance documents and legislation
Project number:
2020-040
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$209,420.00
Principal Investigator:
Paul Hardy-Smith
Organisation:
Panaquatic Health Solutions Pty Ltd
The aquaculture, commercial and recreational fisheries sectors along with the FRDC have recognised the need to continue the work of the Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS) Aquatic Animal Working Group (AAWG) (2005-2013). In September 2018, the FRDC funded a workshop to review the activities of the AAWS-AAWG and for the industry peak bodies to prioritize knowledge gaps for future R&D. One of the recommendations from the workshop funded by FRDC 2017-221 was to conduct a stocktake of the current industry processes and legislation that relate to aquatic animal welfare.
The initial stocktake was completed in 2006 by Dr Paul Hardy-Smith and colleagues. The aquatic animal welfare landscape has significantly changed since 2006. States and Territories are developing animal welfare legislation and guidelines that either specifically addresses aquatic animal welfare considerations and/or includes aquatic animals (e.g. fish, crustaceans) under the definition of “animal” in the legislation. This changing landscape has implications for “in-field” practices (e.g. methods used to kill aquatic animals) and other practices (e.g. transportation of live aquatic animals).
It is critically important that the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishing sectors understand the implications of this changing landscape. These sectors need to ensure their own guidelines or codes of conduct are addressing the regional requirements and if they are not, then it is important that they are assisted in addressing changes to protect themselves. It is important that aquatic animal welfare requirements in no way place human welfare at risk. There is a need to promote the changes to industry practice that have positive outcomes for aquatic animal welfare and to ensure industry practices are keeping within the welfare requirements of that State or Territory.
Our project will comprehensively document and analyse the legislative framework as it applies to aquatic animal welfare in each State and Territory. The project will identify key areas of concern for commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational sectors which will be used to assist in developing priority case studies.
1. To conduct a contemporary stocktake of Australia's current aquatic animal welfare policies, programs, and procedures as expressed in legislation, Codes of Practice, Standards or other relevant guidance documents as applicable to the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishery sectors.
2. To develop case studies to assess the suitability and practicality of the all Codes of Practice, Standards or other relevant guidance documents to align with industry practice and the legislative animal welfare requirements in the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishery sectors.
3. Make recommendations to improve the alignment of industry practice with legislation for improved outcomes for aquatic animal welfare in the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishery sectors.
Report
ISBN:
978-0-9756047-6-2
Authors:
Dr Paul Hardy-Smith
Dr Joy A. Becker and Dr Robert Jones
Report
•
2023-03-01
•
3.07 MB
2020-040-DLD.pdf
This report provides a contemporary review of aquatic animal welfare in Australia, focussing on fish, crustaceans and cephalopods that are captured or farmed in the commercial wild capture, aquaculture and recreational fishing sectors in Australia. It also reviews the welfare of aquatic animals used in teaching or research.
Aquatic animals, like all animals, play an important role in maintaining a healthy environment. Many aquatic animals are valuable sources of nutrition for humans and other animals and contribute significantly to Australia’s primary industry in both domestic and international trade. Other aquatic animals have cultural and economic importance to our tourism and recreational industries. For aquatic animals, as with other animals, better health through improved welfare can increase productivity and can have beneficial impacts on sustainability.
The last review of aquatic animal welfare arrangements in Australia was conducted in 2006. Community understanding of animal welfare, including aquatic animal welfare, has increased since then. Having a sound understanding of animal welfare laws and any changes that may be happening to those laws is important to industries that work with aquatic animals.
Aquatic animals, like all animals, play an important role in maintaining a healthy environment. Many aquatic animals are valuable sources of nutrition for humans and other animals and contribute significantly to Australia’s primary industry in both domestic and international trade. Other aquatic animals have cultural and economic importance to our tourism and recreational industries. For aquatic animals, as with other animals, better health through improved welfare can increase productivity and can have beneficial impacts on sustainability.
The last review of aquatic animal welfare arrangements in Australia was conducted in 2006. Community understanding of animal welfare, including aquatic animal welfare, has increased since then. Having a sound understanding of animal welfare laws and any changes that may be happening to those laws is important to industries that work with aquatic animals.
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2012-506
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) WA
TAGS
Animal Welfare – what we do know and where to from here?
Project number:
2022-146
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure:
$75,000.00
Principal Investigator:
Daryl McPhee
Organisation:
McPhee Research Consultants Pty Ltd
The topic of animal welfare in fisheries remains highly contentious and contested and there is a need to find both common ground and to understand and respect the diversity of views. Failure to do so represents a financial risk to wildcatch fisheries and aquaculture and some recreational fishing activities. Animal welfare issues continue be a community focus, and more focus is being placed on the welfare of fish and selected marine invertebrates (e.g. crustaceans and cephalopods). Active campaigns of various types and levels of organisation that oppose fishing activities are not uncommon and garner attention. This project aims to consolidate our knowledge of animal welfare issues of direct relevance to FRDC and its stakeholders and provide a way forward for future research investment that is tailored to FRDC's legislative remit and the needs of its stakeholders.
There has been a considerable number of publications globally that have tackled the topic and provided a diversity of perspectives on the issue. A single workshop and report are not going to unify thinking around the question. The workshop will have a starting point that the question “do fish feel pain” is an issue that there is a diversity of views on the topic, and the focus is on currently accepted best practices and continual improvement in those practices. The workshop will have a session that focuses on community perceptions and highlighting the legitimacy of considering the community perceptions.
1. Undertake a review of key findings of previous relevant research on animal welfare in Australia, and a review of contemporary peer reviewed material on aquatic animal welfare issues, and prepare this review to inform a stakeholder workshop.
2. List key contemporary issues and developments that are relevant animal welfare in Australia since 2020.
3. Undertake a stakeholder workshop that identifies information needs and identifies and prioritises research gaps.
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2022-074
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT
ORGANISATION:
Nautilus Collaboration Pty Ltd
TAGS
SPECIES
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2012-507
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
Panaquatic Health Solutions Pty Ltd
TAGS
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2019-023
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
Practicing aquatic animal welfare: Identifying and mitigating obstacles to uptake and adoption by the Australian Fishing Industry
This FRDC funded research focuses on the obstacles to, and drivers of, positive practice change relating to aquatic animal welfare (AAW) in Australia’s wild-catch commercial fishing and finfish aquaculture sectors. It was conducted between December 2019 and March 2022 in response to...
ORGANISATION:
ENVision Environmental Consulting
TAGS
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2022-064
PROJECT STATUS:
CURRENT
ORGANISATION:
Australian Council of Prawn Fisheries Ltd (ACPF)
TAGS
SPECIES
PROJECT NUMBER
•
2012-508
PROJECT STATUS:
COMPLETED
ORGANISATION:
VRFish
Raise awareness of the guidelines developed by the AAWWG (Aquatic Animal Welfare Working Group) with industry and review their adoption, uptake rates and utility
Project number:
2017-221
Project Status:
Completed
Budget expenditure:
$34,771.45
Principal Investigator:
Mark Boulter
Organisation:
Safe Sustainable Seafood Pty Ltd
Following the work of the AAWWG the four aquatic sectors now have a range of findings that, when combined, produce a series of practical outcomes and materials for circulation and use within the various sectors.
The take-up of these guidance materials now lies with the aquatic sectors to which they apply; commercial capture fishing, aquaculture, recreational fishing, ornamental fish and restaurants holding live seafood.
There is a need to undertake a workshop (or a series of workshops) to determine how well these previously developed materials are being used by industry and identify the reasons why there is not adoption (if this is the case). The workshop(s) will then provide advice and guidance to FRDC as to whether there is a need for fund further work to ‘plug any gaps’ or modify any materials that have been found to be difficult to use/adopt, or whether there is a need to assess industry barriers to change.
1. Through a series of workshops, to determine how well the implementation of the welfare guidelines developed in the earlier AAWS program (2005 - 2013) have been adopted, whether they are seen as fit for purpose / capable of being operationalised and identify any gaps that require future RD &/or E input.
2. For these gaps to seek funding opportunities to carry out this work.
Final report
ISBN:
978-0-6480476-0-5
Authors:
M. Boulter
M. Dodd and B. McCallum
Final Report
•
2018-12-01
•
1.77 MB
2017-221-DLD.pdf
During the 2017 FRDC Lead, Collaborate, Partner Stakeholder Workshop delegates identified a need to assess the success of the work undertaken by the Aquatic Animal Welfare Working Group (AAWWG) from 2005 – 2013 and to determine what research, development and extension activities were needed to progress this work to achieve greater adoption by industry. The AAWWG constituted representatives from the commercial wild capture fishing, recreational fishing, aquaculture and ornamental/aquarium sectors, and from animal welfare non-government organisations (NGOs).
To progress priorities identified at the 2017 stakeholder workshop, the FRDC commissioned a workshop on Aquatic Animal Welfare, held in Adelaide in September 2018. The invited participants were the delegates of the various seafood industry bodies, other seafood industry representatives and members of the previous AAWWG. This report outlines the findings from that workshop.
During the workshop an update on current domestic and international aquatic animal welfare issues were outlined by independent experts who had also been members of the AAWWG. Delegates then undertook a threat assessment process to identify industry’s current key areas of concern.
As part of the workshop process, a brainstorming session was carried out with delegates split into working groups based on aquatic animal interaction points within industry sectors, as outlined below;
• Aquaculture and Aquarium sectors – whole of life welfare
• Catching sector – transported live including the post-harvest sector
• Catching and Recreational sectors – transported dead
In this session they identified the key priorities for their sub-group, what they perceive is currently working well and where there is still room for improvement.
Throughout the workshop the working groups consistently identified a need to:
i. Communicate the importance of addressing/maintaining animal welfare to industry;
ii. Undertake greater/more effective extension of the available literature to industry (e.g. AAWWG documents); and
iii. Communicate the positive efforts to address/maintain animal welfare that are currently being made by industry.
The workshop participants firmly held the view that effective communications be practically based and underpinned by credible, ‘peer reviewed’ information from industry and scientists. The workshop attendees suggested this would be best achieved by the establishment of a ‘process’ similar to the previous AAWWG, that could ensure momentum is maintained on this topic, the appropriate Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) is carried out in a structured way and industry assessments are undertaken, guidelines developed/revised as required and then appropriately extended to industry to achieve maximum industry adoption.
This process should ensure suitably credible Aquatic Animal Welfare information, including what already exists from the previous AAWWG process, can be delivered through an effective, well-funded process for appropriate circulation and dissemination of relevant information to the relevant target audience, whether that be internally within the industry sectors or externally to the community and animal welfare E-NGOs.
To progress priorities identified at the 2017 stakeholder workshop, the FRDC commissioned a workshop on Aquatic Animal Welfare, held in Adelaide in September 2018. The invited participants were the delegates of the various seafood industry bodies, other seafood industry representatives and members of the previous AAWWG. This report outlines the findings from that workshop.
During the workshop an update on current domestic and international aquatic animal welfare issues were outlined by independent experts who had also been members of the AAWWG. Delegates then undertook a threat assessment process to identify industry’s current key areas of concern.
As part of the workshop process, a brainstorming session was carried out with delegates split into working groups based on aquatic animal interaction points within industry sectors, as outlined below;
• Aquaculture and Aquarium sectors – whole of life welfare
• Catching sector – transported live including the post-harvest sector
• Catching and Recreational sectors – transported dead
In this session they identified the key priorities for their sub-group, what they perceive is currently working well and where there is still room for improvement.
Throughout the workshop the working groups consistently identified a need to:
i. Communicate the importance of addressing/maintaining animal welfare to industry;
ii. Undertake greater/more effective extension of the available literature to industry (e.g. AAWWG documents); and
iii. Communicate the positive efforts to address/maintain animal welfare that are currently being made by industry.
The workshop participants firmly held the view that effective communications be practically based and underpinned by credible, ‘peer reviewed’ information from industry and scientists. The workshop attendees suggested this would be best achieved by the establishment of a ‘process’ similar to the previous AAWWG, that could ensure momentum is maintained on this topic, the appropriate Research, Development and Extension (RD&E) is carried out in a structured way and industry assessments are undertaken, guidelines developed/revised as required and then appropriately extended to industry to achieve maximum industry adoption.
This process should ensure suitably credible Aquatic Animal Welfare information, including what already exists from the previous AAWWG process, can be delivered through an effective, well-funded process for appropriate circulation and dissemination of relevant information to the relevant target audience, whether that be internally within the industry sectors or externally to the community and animal welfare E-NGOs.
View Filter
