Fish welfare in aquaculture  

Fish welfare is increasingly in the spotlight for regulators, retailers, and consumers alike. The extent to which the environment and technology support the wellbeing of farmed fish directly impacts fish health, production performance, product quality, and brand reputation.

Fish farmers are expected to ensure and document animal welfare both during treatments and routine production to meet societal and market expectations. 

How our fish welfare services support you  

DNV provides comprehensive, structured welfare assessments based on recognized standards such as the Laksvel standard. By systematically reviewing welfare conditions and identifying challenges throughout the production chain, we help farmers pinpoint welfare issues and implement effective solutions. 

Our fish welfare services include: 

• Monitoring of Welfare: We perform ongoing welfare assessments aligned with the Laksvel standard, evaluating key indicators, such as behaviour, appetite, mortality causes, individual health makers (skin condition, anomalies, gill health, etc.), and environmental factors. Continuous monitoring, paired with scientifically grounded recommendations, enables producers to proactively address welfare risks before problems escalate. 
• Generation Review of Welfare: At both site and corporate levels, DNV evaluates welfare performance over entire production cycles. These comprehensive assessments document and benchmark welfare outcomes, helping to identify systematic issues and enabling targeted improvements.  
• Gap Analysis: Our welfare gap analysis identifies areas where current practices fall short of industry benchmarks or established welfare standards, providing clear direction for enhancements.
• Testing new equipment: Regulations require that new equipment potentially affecting fish welfare undergo welfare impact testing. DNV’s accredited field trial department has extensive experience in testing and validating new technologies to ensure they meet welfare requirements.