Aquaculture Welfare

Aquaculture Biosecurity: Protecting Fish Health and Welfare

Disease outbreaks in aquaculture cause mass mortality and suffering - good biosecurity protects fish welfare while supporting sustainable production.

Key Facts

Disease is the leading cause of mortality and welfare loss in farmed fish
Biosecurity measures include site isolation, water treatment, equipment disinfection, and batch management
Vaccination programmes for salmon have dramatically reduced antibiotic use in Norwegian aquaculture
Infectious salmon anaemia (ISA) causes significant welfare loss and has led to mass culls
Fallowing sites between production cycles reduces disease persistence in seabed environments

Welfare Considerations

Biosecurity is a frontline welfare intervention in aquaculture. Disease outbreaks cause suffering from illness, treatment stress, and mass mortality. Producers who invest in biosecurity - including vaccination, site management, and emergency response planning - have better welfare outcomes and more sustainable businesses. Consumer demand for welfare-certified aquaculture products creates market incentives for biosecurity investment.

What You Can Do

Choose aquaculture products from certified producers with strong biosecurity programmes
Support vaccination over antibiotic use in aquaculture supply chains
Advocate for biosecurity standards to be part of aquaculture welfare certification
Learn about disease challenges facing farmed fish in your region