FAO Elevates Aquatic Animal Welfare

For the first time, aquatic animal welfare becomes a key focal point in a high level global policy paper on sustainable aquaculture development, endorsed by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

For the first time, the UN has included aquatic animal welfare at length in an official high profile policy document, the Shanghai Declaration. The Aquatic Life Institute and our partners submitted joint comments to the FAO’s Global Conference on Aquaculture (GCA +20) regarding their Shanghai Declaration, a road map to optimize the role that aquaculture can play in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Not only did they incorporate our comments, they also invited us to speak during the conference with over 500 participants in person and 800+ watching online from around the world. This is a huge milestone for the recognition and inclusion of aquatic animal welfare.

“The fact that the FAO allotted us a speaking slot among hundreds of organizations that could have spoken is a true testament to our sustained advocacy efforts in elevating aquatic animal welfare at all levels of society. This is a huge win for the entire aquatic animal welfare movement,” says Christine Xu, Head of Strategic Initiatives at the Aquatic Life Institute.

Whereas the early draft included only one reference to aquatic animal welfare as it relates to biosecurity and disease prevention:

“Promoting aquatic biosecurity protocols and management agreements, including prevention of disease and integrated disease and pest management, and encourage measures to improve fish health and welfare.”

The final draft added a entirely new clause on aquatic animal welfare based on our feedback:

Our feedback: Add “Recognizing that developing aquaculture sustainably and equitably requires taking a holistic approach -- one that values both human and animal health and welfare. Considerations given to aquatic animal welfare is key to maintaining healthy immune systems while minimizing the negative environmental and social impacts of aquaculture, including damaging the ecosystem and jeopardizing long-term food security.”

Final version: “Recognizing that developing aquaculture sustainably and equitably requires a holistic approach that values both human and animal health and welfare and further recognizing that aquaculture activities should be conducted in a manner that assures the health and welfare of farmed aquatic animals, by optimizing health through minimizing stress, reducing aquatic animal disease risks and maintaining a healthy culture environment at all phases of the production cycle.”

Historically, aquatic animals have been neglected in welfare advocacy and research. Even at the top levels of society, their sentience is rarely recognized and their welfare is seldom considered. Now, for the first time, the FAO has issued high level guidelines that include aquatic animal welfare.

“Our joint feedback to the FAO was carefully crafted by our team and our alliance partners. We are thrilled that these comments were incorporated into such a fundamental document, which can translate to positive ramifications in aquaculture development for the next decade,” concludes Tessa Gonzalez, lead researcher and author of the joint comments.

Our comments were endorsed by the following signatories:

Aquatic Life Institute

Advocating Wild

Alianima

ANIMAL

Anima International

Animal Friends Croatia

Animal Friends Jogja

Animal Justice Canada

Animals Australia

Asia for Animals

Animal Nepal

Animal Rights Center Japan

ARBA

Coalition of African Animal Welfare Organisations

Compassion in World Farming

Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation

Crustacean compassion

Essere Animali

Factory Farming Awareness Coalition

Fish Welfare Initiative

Fórum Animal

Friends of Phillip

Green REV Institute

Humane Society International

Institute of Animal Law Asia

L214

Mercy for Animals

Naomi Clark-Shen

NY4Whales

Oikeutta eläimille

PAZ

Plataforma ALTO

Protección Animal Ecuador (PAE)

Proyecto ALA

SAFE

Sentient Media

Shellfish Network

Sinergia Animal

SPCA Montreal

SPCA Selangor

The Humane League

Vegetarianos Hoy

Vissen Bescherming

Viva!

Voices for Animals

Voters for animals rights

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