FAI's Tilapia Welfare App has been key in helping Egyptian farmers monitor fish welfare.
Photo: Tilapia Welfare Egypt.
The Tilapia Welfare Egypt Project, a collaborative initiative between FAI, Ethical Seafood Research (ESR), and Aquavet Egypt, has achieved a significant milestone in its mission to improve fish welfare in Egypt’s aquaculture industry, positively impacting over 260 million fish, the project partners have announced.
This landmark achievement represents approximately 10% of Egypt’s Nile tilapia production, with the country one of the world’s top tilapia producers.
"We’re thrilled with the progress we’re making," said Wasseem Emam, lead researcher and founder of ESR, in a press release. "We’re demonstrating the power of ethical aquaculture practices in positively impacting both the fish and farmers.
“This project is about creating lasting change. We have already seen more than 300 downloads of FAI’s Tilapia Welfare App and 150 welfare educators trained to disseminate welfare knowledge throughout the Egyptian aquaculture sector. We’re making real strides towards sustainable, welfare-focused farming."
Launched in early 2024, the Tilapia Welfare Egypt Project uses FAI’s Tilapia Welfare App, together with e-learning courses, to provide fish farmers with tools and insights for improved fish welfare management.
By incorporating welfare assessment and management tools into the daily operations of more than 1,000 farms in key tilapia-producing regions, including Kafr El Sheikh, Beheira, Sharkia, and Port Said, the project has already facilitated over 3,000 welfare assessments and is on track to soon reach its target of 4,000 assessments.
The Tilapia Welfare Egypt Project includes training and on-farm welfare indicator assessments.
"This initiative has huge potential to transform aquaculture in Egypt," said Murilo Quintiliano, FAI’s COO. "Egypt is one of the world’s top tilapia producers, and by introducing welfare practices on this scale, we’re seeing a tangible shift towards better fish health, higher farm profitability and improved industry standards. It’s exciting to know this project is laying the foundation of long-term success."
The project has garnered support through collaborations with esteemed Egyptian institutions, including Kafr El Sheikh University, Cairo University, and the Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research (CLAR). These partnerships have integrated welfare training into educational programs, extending the initiative’s reach to students and industry professionals through workshops and hands-on training, the project partners explain.
FAI CEO Øistein Thorsen emphasized the importance of the Egyptian sector to the project’s global mission. "For FAI to achieve its global goals of improving the lives of as many tilapia as possible via our Tilapia Welfare Project, working in Egypt is critical as it’s one of the world’s top producers,” he stated. “We’re not only addressing an overlooked area of animal welfare but also reshaping the future of Egypt’s aquaculture sector by aligning better fish care with economic benefits for farmers."
The project team reported in July that it had also reached a training milestone, with over 120 Egyptian aquaculture workers having completed specialized training to enhance tilapia welfare.