Aquaculture

Aquaculture Antibiotic Stewardship and Welfare

Antibiotic use in aquaculture reflects underlying welfare problems. Reducing use through welfare improvement aligns fish welfare with antimicrobial resistance public health goals.

Key Facts

Global aquaculture antibiotic use is estimated at 10,000+ tonnes annually, concentrated in Asia
High antibiotic use reflects high disease burden driven by poor welfare conditions
Norway has reduced salmon aquaculture antibiotic use by over 99% since the 1980s through vaccination
Welfare improvements including reduced stocking density reduce disease burden and antibiotic need
Antimicrobial resistance from aquaculture poses risks to both aquatic and human health

Welfare Considerations

Aquaculture antibiotic stewardship and welfare are causally connected - high antibiotic use indicates high disease burden caused by poor welfare conditions. Addressing welfare reduces antibiotic need, which reduces resistance risk. Norway's success in eliminating most antibiotic use through vaccination demonstrates that welfare-based approaches achieve both animal welfare and public health goals.

What You Can Do

Choose certified aquaculture products from operations with documented low antibiotic use
Support antibiotic stewardship certification requirements in aquaculture standards
Advocate for mandatory antibiotic use reporting in aquaculture as transparency and welfare measure
Support vaccination program development for aquaculture species as a welfare and stewardship investment