Applications will remain open until July 1, 2026.
The U.S.-based philanthropic organization Coefficient Giving will allocate approximately 7 million U.S. dollars to projects that "substantially" improve fish welfare at the time of capture and slaughter.
Of the 100 billion farmed fish slaughtered each year, only 0.5% are reliably stunned before slaughter using percussive or electrical methods, according to Coefficient. Moreover, in the case of wild-caught fish, all are left to asphyxiate in air or in onboard tanks, with no option for slaughter using an ice slurry.
This initiative seeks to identify ways to achieve pre-death insensibility that is instantaneous, long-lasting (ideally permanent), verifiable, and scalable, within the physical constraints of aquaculture and fishing operations.
For this reason, priority will be given to solutions that are suitable for fishing vessels with limited power and space, that work for small wild fish caught in large quantities, or that offer alternatives to or improvements on existing electrical stunning technologies.
Coefficient expects to receive proposals from across the entire R&D ecosystem, including individuals, universities and research institutions; small, medium, and large companies; and public-sector research organizations.
In addition, the organization states that, depending on the quality of the applications, increased investment may be considered. Applications will remain open until July 1, 2026.
Finally, applicants whose proposals meet a minimum standard (or rank among the top 125, whichever comes first) will receive a $4,000 honorarium.