Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Vattenbruket är en viktig och växande del av världens livsmedelsförsörjning där fisk sannolikt är en av de mest uppfödda grupperna av lantbruksdjur sett till antal individer. Trots detta har fisk historiskt ofta särbehandlats i välfärdsdiskussioner, då deras förmåga att uppleva smärta, stress och obehag länge ifrågasattes. Forskning under de senaste decennierna har dock visat att fiskar har välutvecklade sensoriska system, vilket har bidragit till ett ökat vetenskapligt och etiskt intresse. Fiskvälfärd är ett komplext område eftersom fisk omfattar många arter med stora skillnader i livscykel, beteende, fysiologi och miljöbehov. I praktiken är det vattenbrukets aktörer som omsätter denna kunskap i det dagliga arbetet, där välfärd kontinuerligt behöver balanseras mot produktionens förutsättningar.
Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur branschaktörer uppfattar och arbetar med fiskvälfärd samt vilka faktorer som påverkar möjligheten att prioritera välfärd i praktiken. Studien genomfördes genom semistruktur

Aquaculture is an important and growing part of the world’s food supply, and fish likely constitute one of the most farmed groups of livestock in terms of total numbers. Despite this, fish have historically often been treated differently in welfare discussions, as their ability to experience pain, stress, and distress was long questioned. Research in recent decades has shown that fish have well-developed sensory systems, which has contributed to increased scientific and ethical interest in fish welfare. At the same time, fish welfare is a complex area, as fish encompass many species with significant differences in life cycle, behavior, physiology, and environmental needs. In practice, it is aquaculture stakeholders who apply this knowledge in their daily work, where welfare must be continuously balanced against production requirements.
The aim of this study was to investigate how stakeholders perceive and work with fish welfare, as well as which factors influence the ability to prioritize welfare in practice. The study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with seven stakeholders in the Swedish aquaculture, which were analyzed using thematic analysis. The results show that fish welfare is primarily associated with health, the absence of stress, and proper handling throughout the entire chain, while welfare efforts are influenced by practical limitations such as large populations, technical challenges, financial resources, research, and legislation. The study shows that fish welfare in aquaculture is a complex issue where individual welfare is continuously balanced against production-related and structural conditions. To improve fish welfare in the future, continued research, technical development, species-specific knowledge, and a broader societal understanding of fish as sentient individuals are required.