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Fish welfare in ornamental fish trade and its indicators
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Abstract: (20 Views) |
| Ornamental fish are classified as high value and low volume products. At each stage of the ornamental fish supply chain, fish are potentially exposed to stressors that can be detrimental to their welfare. During packaging, transport and adaptation, fish can experience high stress and their welfare can be compromised, leading to reduced safety and high mortality. Meanwhile, the transportation of live fish is known as the main cause of stress. It is estimated to be less than 5% for freshwater fish and up to 80% for wild-caught marine fish. One of the problems facing ornamental fish trade regulations is the difficulty in monitoring the welfare of ornamental fish. Rules have been defined for fish welfare in food fish aquaculture and for research processes, but few rules exist for the welfare of domestic and ornamental fish. Indicators for determining well-being can be divided into two categories: behavioral and non-behavioral. For example, the physiological effects of high stocking density in ornamental fish can lead to reduced water quality and increased aggressive behavior, while in some other species, low stocking can lead to increased territoriality and increased aggressive behavior by the dominant fish, causing damage to weak ones. For this reason, it is necessary to understand the behavioral compatibility of different species of ornamental fish. Also, changes in water quality between each stage of trade can expose the fish to considerable stress. One of the reasons for the difficulty of creating operational welfare indicators (OWI) for ornamental fish is the impact of the morphology of these fish on natural and swimming behaviors, which in some species is due to genetic manipulations and etc. in fish with big eyes, unnaturally long fins and bubbles. Another indicator of determining welfare is the use of observations of physical injuries, which in combination with behavior can be used to evaluate the welfare of ornamental fish. Using the behavioral and non-behavioral indicators presented in this article, a suitable OWI can be defined for different species of ornamental fish. To begin with, general indicators can be defined for larger categories (freshwater or saltwater fish, carnivores or herbivores, ...), and gradually OWIs can be defined in more detail. |
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| Keywords: Welfare, Ornamental fish, Trade, Transportation, Operational welfare indicators. |
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Full-Text [PDF 992 kb]
(12 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Applicable |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2024/11/10 | Accepted: 2024/10/1
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