Training & Education – St Andrews
BY PETE SOUTHGATE
Life worth living D
Sustainability and fish welfare are inextricably linked, writes Pete Southgate
r Pete Southgate, Director at Fish Vet Group and one of the com- pany’s founders, discusses the importance of sustainability and fish welfare within the aquaculture industry. Pete was pivotal in the creation of the Sustainable Aquaculture courses with the University
of St Andrews and is a keen advocate for improved knowledge within the sector. Sustainability means different things to different people. We define
sustainable aquaculture as healthy, productive enduring systems, which are viable and long-term, with minimal impact on the local/global envi- ronment using minimal finite resources. Focus areas include renewable energy systems, sustainable feed re-
sources and reducing the impact of outputs - for example, in processing and shipping. Welfare is a fundamental element of sustainability and is a support to all pillars of sustainability. The study of fish welfare looks at the mental and physical well-being of the animal, to provide a life worth living. The concept is to support the life in a stress-free and damage-free
environment. Vast scientific data has shown that fish do suffer pain responses and fear, and possess memories of fearful situations. In fact, they suffer as much as other production animals. In aquatic animals a major factor in poor health and disease outbreaks
is stress and damage. Constant chronic stress from poor handling, pre- dation and poor environment means the animals are more vulnerable to health problems. EMS (early mortality syndrome), for example, is wiping out shrimp populations, resulting in unsustainable aquaculture systems. By improv- ing the welfare of fish, less disease outbreaks occur and therefore less treatments are required, leading to greater consumer food safety. It is difficult to convey the concept of fish welfare. Public awareness and
perception of fish welfare is lower than animal welfare in other sectors, but it is just as important. Fundamentally, good fish welfare should occur across all species, glob-
ally, with best practice across every aspect of working with these animals. This can sometimes be a challenge in some regions, where skill resources
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www.fishfarmer-magazine.com
and technological systems are not available. This is where knowledge transfer, education and up-skilling can play a key role, to ensure concepts are understood and actioned, to cre- ate a more sustainable aquaculture industry. The University of St Andrews, in conjunction with TheFishSite, produce undergraduate and postgraduate certificates, diplomas and MSc level courses, offering a broad range of training in sustainable aquaculture. The sustainable aquaculture courses begin in
May and September and are offered 100 per cent online and are therefore accessible to all.
For more information please visit www.
thefishsite.com/learn. FF
Above: Ardtoe Marine Research Facility
“Constant chronic stress
from poor handling, predation and poor environment means the animals are more vulnerable’
”
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