Published on
EURCAW-Aqua is the European Union's Reference Centre for Aquatic Animal Welfare and in its new report it classifies the practice of electric stunning in the slaughter of aquaculture fish as ineffective.
Drawn up in close collaboration with our fish welfare research group, the report scrutinised the equipment used in this method, once considered promising and humane. Using advanced electroencephalography monitoring techniques, it was possible to confirm the presence of brain activity during the stunning process, which indicates that many fish remain conscious. For our researcher and research group leader, João Saraiva:
"The lack of evidence that electric stunning methods are capable of rendering fish unconscious immediately and for long enough to guarantee painless slaughter has serious consequences - not only from an ethical point of view, but also in terms of the quality of the end product."
When poorly executed, this method causes intense muscle contractions, leading to the release of stress substances that compromise the texture, appearance and quality of the meat. In addition to electric stunning, the ice asphyxiation method was also criticised in the report for failing to meet the ethical and legal standards set by the EU.
As an alternative, EURCAW-Aqua recommends percussion stunning, currently the most effective method for inducing immediate unconsciousness in fish. However, its practical application is limited to Atlantic salmon production, and it is not yet available on a large scale for Mediterranean species such as sea bass and sea bream.
This limitation represents a significant challenge for producers, who have already invested in equipment that is now considered inadequate, but also an opportunity for the technology industry to develop solutions in line with EU recommendations, namely:
- Electroencephalography-based technologies for real-time monitoring;
- Systematic studies to validate stunning methods for all farmed species;
- Fast and reliable indicators to detect loss of consciousness.
Ensuring investment in research and innovation is therefore imperative in order to dignify slaughter and improve the quality of aquaculture production.
These and other issues related to animal welfare will be debated at the XXII Congress of the Portuguese Society of Ethology. Get involved!
