Credits: Biovision-Infonet
The general principle for animal health and welfare for aquatic animals is very much similar to that of other animals: ‘Organic management practices promote and maintain the health and well-being of animals through balanced organic nutrition, stress-free living conditions appropriate to the species and breed selection for resistance to diseases,parasites and infections.
The same rules for use of veterinary medicine applies for fish, such as medicine for prevention is prohibited, and the first choice should be natural methods and medicines. Use of chemical allopathic veterinary drugs and antibiotics is prohibited for invertebrates (other aquatic animals than fish, e.g. shrimps). Synthetic hormones and growth promoters are prohibited for use to artificially stimulate growth and reproduction. Stocking density must not compromise animal welfare; this should be adjusted to age and breed of fish. Apart from this, it is said (Norms 6.6.6): ‘Operators shall routinely monitor water quality, stocking densities, health, and behavior of each cohort (school) and manage the operation to maintain water quality, health, and natural behavior’.
When organic aquatic animals are transported and slaughtered, they should be subjected to minimum stress, and their species specific needs shall be respected, like with all other animals. The operator shall handle live organisms in ways which are compatible with their physiological requirements. Requirement 6.7.3 furthermore states:
Operators shall implement defined measures to ensure that organic aquatic animals are provided with conditions during transportation and slaughter that meet animal specific needs and minimize the adverse effects of (a) diminishing water quality, (b) time spent in transport; (c) stocking density, (d) toxic substances; (e) escape.
Aquatic vertebrates (fish) shall be stunned before killing, and it should be ensured that the equipment for this is sufficient to remove sensate ability and/or kill it.