Farm Animals

Aquaculture Recirculating System Welfare

Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) offer opportunities to improve fish welfare by controlling water quality but also present new challenges.

Key Facts

RAS recycles over 95% of water through biological filtration systems
Precise water quality control is possible, reducing stress from poor conditions
High stocking densities can still be used in RAS, creating crowding welfare problems
RAS enables land-based salmon farming, removing sea lice and reducing escapees
Power failure risk and system complexity can lead to acute welfare crises

Welfare Considerations

RAS technology offers significant welfare potential through water quality control and disease prevention, but realising this potential requires welfare-centred operational standards and monitoring.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture innovation in RAS that explicitly incorporates welfare improvements
Advocate for welfare standards tailored to RAS production systems
Choose RAS-farmed fish from producers with transparent welfare reporting
Support research into optimal stocking densities and enrichment in RAS
Engage with the sustainable aquaculture debate including welfare dimensions