by
Martin O’Farrell and Robin McKimm, Fish Management Systems, UK
Everyone agrees that life is more complicated nowadays. In the past, universities had Departments of Zoology. Now there are Departments of Animal… Husbandry, Services, Care and Control, Health, Veterinary Services, Welfare and Behaviour.
The welfare of farmed animals throughout their lives and,
particularly, at the time of slaughter is now very high on the agendas of
producers and consumers. The welfare of farmed fish, throughout their lives and
at the time of slaughter is a relatively new consideration.
We have been involved in aquaculture, one way or another, for about four decades. Our collective experience relates to rainbow trout, Arctic char and Atlantic salmon culture, humane slaughter and environmental impact.
We have seen significant technological change and we have seen no change! At the end of the second decade of the twenty-first century, modern seawater RAS systems are producing high value kingfish while freshwater flow through earthen ponds are still in use in rainbow trout production!
Our focus now is on the humane slaughter of finfish produced in freshwater or seawater. ‘Humane’ is a word that requires definition. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of ‘humane’ is ‘showing compassion or benevolence’.
In the context of global fin-fish aquaculture, it is probable that only a very small percentage of farmed fish are treated humanely at the time of harvest. In the context of European fin-fish aquaculture, guidelines on the humane slaughter of farmed salmon and rainbow trout have been in existence for perhaps one decade.
Many modern European fin-fish farmers have moved away from thermal shock (ice slurry) with or without CO2 (now banned in some countries) to dry electrical stunning, in-water electrical stunning and percussion stunning. Our expertise relates to in-water, in-line electrical stunning of farmed fish in freshwater or seawater where fish are stunned within one second of entry into a ramped DC field.
Read more HERE.
Everyone agrees that life is more complicated nowadays. In the past, universities had Departments of Zoology. Now there are Departments of Animal… Husbandry, Services, Care and Control, Health, Veterinary Services, Welfare and Behaviour.
 |
| Martin O’Farrell |
We have been involved in aquaculture, one way or another, for about four decades. Our collective experience relates to rainbow trout, Arctic char and Atlantic salmon culture, humane slaughter and environmental impact.
We have seen significant technological change and we have seen no change! At the end of the second decade of the twenty-first century, modern seawater RAS systems are producing high value kingfish while freshwater flow through earthen ponds are still in use in rainbow trout production!
 |
| Robin McKimm |
Our focus now is on the humane slaughter of finfish produced in freshwater or seawater. ‘Humane’ is a word that requires definition. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the definition of ‘humane’ is ‘showing compassion or benevolence’.
In the context of global fin-fish aquaculture, it is probable that only a very small percentage of farmed fish are treated humanely at the time of harvest. In the context of European fin-fish aquaculture, guidelines on the humane slaughter of farmed salmon and rainbow trout have been in existence for perhaps one decade.
Many modern European fin-fish farmers have moved away from thermal shock (ice slurry) with or without CO2 (now banned in some countries) to dry electrical stunning, in-water electrical stunning and percussion stunning. Our expertise relates to in-water, in-line electrical stunning of farmed fish in freshwater or seawater where fish are stunned within one second of entry into a ramped DC field.
Read more HERE.
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