Does feeding time affect fish welfare?

Fish Physiol Biochem. 2012 Feb;38(1):143-52. doi: 10.1007/s10695-011-9523-y. Epub 2011 Jun 14.

Abstract

Increased aquaculture production has raised concerns about managing protocols to safeguard the welfare of farmed fish, as consumers demand responsible aquaculture practices to provide 'welfare friendly' products. Feeding is one of the largest production cost in a fish farm and can be one of the biggest stressors for fish. Under farming conditions, fish are challenged with artificial diets and feeding regimes, and inadequate feeding conditions cause stress, alteration of normal behavioural patterns, poor performance and eventually diseases and death, which are by no means acceptable neither economically nor ethically. This review aims to highlight the impact of feeding rhythms and feeding time upon physiological and behavioural welfare indicators, which show circadian rhythms as well. Therefore, all these variables should be considered when designing feeding strategies in farming conditions and assessing the welfare state of cultured fish.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animal Welfare*
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / physiology
  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Feeding Methods / psychology
  • Feeding Methods / veterinary*
  • Fisheries / standards*
  • Fishes / growth & development
  • Fishes / physiology*
  • Stress, Physiological