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TCRS secures grant to advance farmed fish welfare research

Responsible Seafood Advocate

A $1.1M grant from Coefficient Giving advances animal welfare research to improve humane stunning and slaughter methods

animal welfare
A grant from Coefficient Giving will support animal welfare research into humane slaughter of fish to minimize pain, fear and stress before and during processing. Photo by Viet Chi Go.

The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS) received a two-year grant totaling $1.1 million from Coefficient Giving to support research on animal welfare. The grant will allow TCRS to continue work that was initially funded seven years ago by Open Philanthropy, Coefficient Giving’s former name.

The grant will support research into humane slaughter of fish to minimize pain, fear and stress before and during processing. A key requirement of humane slaughter is a successful stun, which takes effect immediately after harvest.

Research conducted under an earlier grant revealed that some producers who used stunning methods do not consistently meet this standard across species and processing conditions. With continued funding, TCRS will evaluate novel technologies for humane stunning, including pressure-wave methods and machine-vision-guided laser targeting. The project will also refine remote monitoring systems to help processing plant workers identify fish that may not be sufficiently stunned before slaughter.

Researchers from Mississippi State University, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and Nautilus Collaboration will conduct trials. Findings from these trials will be disseminated through TCRS channels and made available to certification bodies for potential use in future standards.

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“A much-appreciated aspect of funding from Coefficient Giving has been its continuity,” said TCRS President George Chamberlain. “This has allowed TCRS researchers to seamlessly progress from ambiguous behavioral indicators of fish insensibility to definitive EEG measurements revealing shortcomings of current stunning and slaughter systems and the pursuit of novel technologies with potential for greatly improving fish welfare at slaughter.”

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TCRS is focused on finding impactful solutions to environmental, economic and social well-being issues through knowledge sharing, applied research and collaboration. Its track record includes effective programs in areas such as disease management, animal welfare, food safety and the development of an online educational platform.

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