Fish welfare

Subject: Fish welfare

Article 27 of Council Regulation 1099/2009 states ‘Member States may maintain or adopt national rules regarding the protection of fish at the time of slaughter or killing and shall inform the Commission thereof’.

What rules are in place in EU Member States regarding the protection of fish at the time of slaughter or killing?

Does the Commission have any plans for new rules concerning a possible future aquaculture proposal?

Joint answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the Commission

(12 April 2018)

In November 2017, the Commission published a study on ‘Welfare of farmed fish — Common practices during transport and at slaughter’ (1).

Section 5 of the study provides an extensive review of the current national legislation, guidelines and practices in place in the Member States that regulate welfare aspects related to the slaughter and killing of farmed fish.

Based on the findings of this study, and in accordance with the provision of Article 27(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 (2), the Commission will adopt in 2018 a report to the European Parliament and the Council on the possibility of introducing certain requirements regarding the protection of fish at the time of killing.

⋅1∙ https://publications.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/facddd32-cda6-11e7-a5d5-01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-49981830

⋅2∙ OJ L 303, 18.11.2009, p.1.