Aquaculture Welfare

Aquaculture Fish Anaesthesia Welfare

Anaesthesia in fish farming and research has important welfare implications that are increasingly recognised in best practice guidelines.

Key Facts

MS-222 and AQUI-S are the most commonly used fish anaesthetics in commercial and research settings
Fish show reduced responsiveness and stress indicators under appropriate anaesthetic depth
Under-dosing of anaesthetic leaves fish conscious during painful procedures
Recovery from anaesthesia carries welfare risks if water quality or handling is inadequate
Anaesthesia use varies widely between facilities and is not universally required for procedures

Welfare Considerations

Fish anaesthesia represents a practical and effective welfare tool that is underused in both aquaculture and research contexts. Many procedures that would routinely require anaesthesia in terrestrial vertebrates are performed on fish without any anaesthetic or pain management. Improving the consistency of anaesthesia use for fish procedures is a high-leverage welfare improvement that is both scientifically justified and operationally feasible.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture welfare standards that require anaesthesia for specified fish procedures
Advocate for fish anaesthesia to be standard practice in research using fish as subjects
Learn about fish anaesthesia welfare from aquatic veterinary and welfare science resources