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New standards proposed for farmed fish welfare
Proposals structures fish health around three main pillars; routine operations, handling and slaughter.
Regulator calls for consideration of fish sentience.

The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), a global certification organisation for farmed seafood, is calling for the UK to extend animal welfare laws to fisheries.

Under the ASC's new draft welfare standards, which aim to improve current aquaculture practices for fish welfare, all farmed fish certified with an ASC label will need to be slaughtered in a more humane manner.

Along with more humane slaughter practices, the ASC is also proposing stricter rules regarding the health management of farmed fish, requirements for water health and handling.

The new criteria includes detailed requirements for employee training, with an emphasis on handling operations. These include requirements on crowding and taking the fish out of their normal rearing environment.

To prevent the suffering of farmed fish, the proposed ASC standards will require farms to make stunning compulsory, as well as eliminate the use of asphyxia, CO2, salt baths, ammonia baths and evisceration as killing methods.

Discussing the role of veterinary and fish health professionals in the new proposal, a spokesperson for the ASC told MRCVSOnline: “The new content reinforces the relevant role veterinarians and fish health professionals play within the field of aquaculture. For example, several indicators require veterinary review and endorsement. 

“The new proposal introduces the concept of welfare being more than just the freedom of negative stimuli, but the exposure to positive ones. 

“It also introduces best practices when it comes to slaughter, an area significantly neglected in aquaculture when compared to other food producing animals. 

“It requires the involvement of veterinarians/fish health professionals on the health management and follow up of farms (through the need of a Fish Health Management Plans). Thus, all in all, the new draft brings fish welfare to an equivalent level to that of other farmed animals.”

Further information can be found on the ASC website.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
UK's BSE risk status downgraded

The WOAH has downgraded the UK's international risk status for BSE to 'negligible'.

Defra says that the UK's improved risk status recognises the reputation for having the highest standards for biosecurity. It adds that it demonstrates decades of rigorous animal control.

Outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, also known as mad cow disease, have previously resulted in bans on Britain's beef exports.

The UK's new status could lead to expanded trade and better confidence in British beef.

Christine Middlemiss, the UK's chief veterinary officer, said: "WOAH's recognition of the UK as negligible risk for BSE is a significant milestone and is a testament to the UK's strong biosecurity measures and the hard work and vigilance of farmers and livestock keepers across the country who have all played their part in managing the spread of this disease.