Ethical Seafood Research 59d ago

How can fish welfare be improved at scale in rapidly growing aquaculture systems? In this presentation from the 9th African Animal Welfare Conference (AAWC 2025), ESR Director, Wasseem Emam, shares practical insights from on-the-ground work improving farmed fish welfare across Egypt and Kenya. Focusing on tilapia aquaculture, one of Africa’s fastest-growing food sectors, this talk explores how technology, farmer engagement and locally grounded approaches can support better outcomes for animals, farmers and food systems. Key topics covered include: → Why fish welfare matters for livelihoods, food security, and sustainability. → The rollout of the Tilapia Welfare App across 1,000+ farms. → How data and repeated farm visits improved welfare scores over time. → Common welfare challenges (water quality, feeding, disease detection). → The role of behavioural indicators in early welfare assessment. → Lessons from working with farmers and extension officers in Egypt and Kenya. → Applying a One Welfare approach in real-world aquaculture systems. The results highlight how relatively small, practical changes, such as improved water monitoring, can lead to meaningful gains in fish welfare and farm performance. At Ethical Seafood Research, we focus on bridging research, policy, and practice to ensure aquaculture systems develop in ways that are both effective and responsible. 🔗 Learn more about our work: https://www.ethicalseafoodresearch.org #EthicalSeafoodResearch #Aquaculture #AquaticAnimalWelfare #FishWelfare