Reference centre for the welfare of farmed fish

Subject: Reference centre for the welfare of farmed fish

The EU strategy on animal welfare aims to ‘investigate the welfare of farmed fish’. It also proposes the establishment of a European network of reference centres to ensure ‘that the competent authorities receive coherent and uniform technical information on the way the EU legislation should be implemented’, as stipulated by Articles 95 and 96 of the Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625.

The recent Commission report on common practices during transport and at slaughter of fish indicates that the slaughter of fish was most commonly either non-compliant with EU slaughter legislation or that compliance was uncertain owing to the lack of institutional checking, with documentation, of slaughter equipment.

While the Commission is relying on Member States to implement the legislation, coordination is required to implement best practice during the slaughter of fish. The same principle applies to the welfare of fish during rearing, breeding and transport.

Will the Commission urgently consider drafting plans to set up a reference centre to focus on the welfare of farmed fish? In order to: support the Commission and Member States with technical expertise; develop guidelines; conduct training courses for the benefit of staff from competent authorities, the aquaculture industry and experts from third countries; contribute to the dissemination of research findings, technical innovations and best practice; coordinate research; and validate the efficacy of stunning equipment.

Answer given by Mr Andriukaitis on behalf of the European Commission (24 January 2019)

As stated by the Commissioner for Health and Food Safety at the meeting of the European Parliament Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals of 13 December 2018, the Commission is committed to promoting information, best practices and direct involvement of stakeholders regarding fish welfare.

Some members of the EU Platform on Animal Welfare have decided to work together in order to develop best practices and exchange of information on the welfare of farmed fish

Following the adoption of the regulation on official controls (1), the Commission is giving priority to establishment of reference centres for animal welfare for species for which there are specific provisions in EU legislation, since the role of reference centres is to provide technical and scientific support to official controls.

The Commission designated in March 2018 a first reference centre for animal welfare (2) which is now operational since 1 October 2018. It focuses on pig welfare.

The Commission is planning to designate in 2019 a second reference centre for animal welfare with a focus on the welfare of poultry, rabbits and fur animals.

There are two Directives on the welfare of poultry (one on laying hens (3) and one on chickens for meat production (4)), which together with rabbits and fur animals represent a very substantial part of animal production.

⋅1∙ Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the

application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, p. 1. ⋅2∙ Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/329 of 5 March 2018 designating a European Union Reference Centre for Animal Welfare, OJ L 63, 6.3.2018,

p. 13.

⋅3∙ Council Directive 1999/74/EC of 19 July 1999 laying down minimum standards for the protection of laying hens, OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 53.

⋅4∙ Council Directive 2007/43/EC of 28 June 2007 laying down minimum rules for the protection of chickens kept for meat production, OJ L 182, 12.7.2007, p. 19.