Aquaculture

Farmed Salmon Disease 3Rs Welfare

Applying the 3Rs framework to disease management in salmon farming to reduce suffering.

Key Facts

Replace: alternatives to animal challenge tests for vaccine development are advancing
Reduce: sentinel fish monitoring reduces number of fish exposed to disease challenges
Refine: humane endpoints and improved anaesthesia reduce suffering during disease trials
The 3Rs framework applies to research and commercial disease management contexts
Investment in 3Rs for aquaculture research is growing through dedicated funding programs

Welfare Considerations

The 3Rs framework - replace, reduce, refine - provides a practical structure for reducing disease-related suffering in salmon farming. Applying 3Rs to both research and commercial disease management contexts delivers welfare improvements across the entire salmon welfare chain.

What You Can Do

Support 3Rs implementation in aquaculture research funding requirements
Advocate for 3Rs principles to be incorporated in salmon certification schemes
Choose salmon from companies investing in 3Rs approaches to disease management