Animal welfare in aquaculture facilities is an issue of growing scientific, social and socio-economic importance. Indeed, animal health and welfare are highlighted as priorities in national and European strategic documents for the development of aquaculture, such as the New Strategy for Marine Aquaculture in Andalusia (2021–2030), Spain’s Contribution to the Strategic Guidelines for a More Sustainable and Competitive EU Aquaculture 2021–2030 (EsAcui 21–30), the Strategic Plan for Portuguese Aquaculture 2021–2030 and the Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda (SRIA).
The overall objective of this project is therefore to establish a cross-border, multidisciplinary research group involving Andalusia and the Algarve to investigate the welfare of marine aquaculture species. This will be achieved through the development of knowledge and understanding of animal welfare indicators in aquaculture and methods for their optimisation, as well as the dissemination and promotion, at both societal and sectoral levels, of the importance of animal welfare in aquaculture.
In both regions, there are groups specialising in various disciplines within the biology and physiology of aquaculture species. This proposal aims to integrate all this knowledge into a network geared towards applying that knowledge and experience to the study of the welfare of aquaculture species and methods for its optimisation.