FEAP calls for species-specific fish welfare legislation following EU report

The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) has stressed the need to develop more species-specific legislation as its main conclusion following its analysis of the European Commission's (DG SANTE) recently published report on farmed fish welfare.

According to FEAP, the report does not clearly identify the critical realities currently shaping European aquaculture. For example, each species has different welfare requirements, yet it does not adequately distinguish between fish species, production systems, and growth stages.

The federation also states that the impacts of stunning techniques have not been thoroughly analysed and that there is no clear scientific consensus among academics on the most appropriate measurement methods or for interpreting the results.

In line with this, it is argued that operational constraints in fish slaughter must be taken into account, as this process is mainly carried out on farm premises or on board small vessels.

Moreover, the report overlooks other production systems, such as pond farming for marine species. FEAP argues that referring to these as "marine pond systems" is inaccurate and maintains that the correct terminology is "coastal lagoon systems" or "brackish water systems."

Another key criticism is that the report relies almost exclusively on studies conducted by NGOs while overlooking Eurobarometer surveys. Finally, it calls for a distinction between areas that are ready for regulation and those that still require further research.

"Legislation that ignores farm-level realities will not improve fish welfare; it will simply drive production outside the EU, where standards may be lower. We need to focus on developing reliable documentation measures before imposing unworkable legal requirements," warned Javier Ojeda, Secretary General of FEAP.