RSPCA Assured has introduced the revision of the RSPCA welfare requirements for farmed Atlantic salmon.
The new guidelines will come into impact in May 2024, introducing over 300 requirements and amendments.
Key highlights embody the introduction of non-medicinal remedy requirements for sea lice and gill illness, obligatory common welfare outcomes assessments, and enhancements to the beautiful and slaughter processes. These embody introducing the requirement for CCTV protection for the complete slaughter course of.
Other modifications made had been a clarification of a requirement to undertake every day checks for sick or dying fish in all tanks and enclosures, with instant motion required for any points recognized and the introduction of formal written manufacturing plans to stop pointless culling.
The RSPCA scheme has additionally launched guidelines on the usage of antibiotics on-farm. Their use have to be now reviewed yearly or on the finish a manufacturing cycle.
“The new farmed Atlantic salmon standards will be a huge step forward for fish welfare and among other changes, include pioneering new standards for non-medicinal treatments for sea lice and gill disease,” mentioned Sean Black, senior scientific officer and aquaculture specialist on the RSPCA.
“Further, we are pleased to introduce over 80 new standards to improve cleanerfish welfare,” he added. “These include the need to risk assess the impact of treatments on their welfare, the requirement to record, categorise and monitor all mortality causes and reduce transport stocking density.”
Last month, campaigners and the farmed fish sector agreed on the necessity for tighter laws on humane fish slaughter at a parliamentary assembly.
Proposals for farmed fish to have the identical authorized protections on the time of slaughter as different land farmed animals had been met with a “high degree of consensus” as there was at present a “legislative anomaly”, mentioned chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for animal welfare, Lord Alexander Trees on the time.
The RSPCA welfare requirements had been a catalyst for change all through the salmon trade for over 20 years, the organisation mentioned.
“We understand that some of the new standards may be challenging,” mentioned Black. “But we are here to support and offer advice to members in implementing these.”
