Harmonizing Animal Health and Welfare in Modern Aquaculture: Innovative Practices for a Sustainable Seafood Industry

Abstract

A critical distinction often overlooked, yet rudimentary to the sustainable infrastructure of a complex and generative industry, is the fundamental difference between animal health and welfare in aquaculture. While these terms are frequently used interchangeably by producers, advocates, and policymakers, understanding how they both correlate and deviate from one another in commercial farming practices is an essential element of sustainable development with animal welfare as a priority, rather than a mere formality. This review represents a turn of the tide where we aggregate effective examples of actionable blueprints the seafood industry can use to elevate and replicate responsible practices in modern aquaculture. These practices must be designed to respect the interests of all stakeholders, including the animals farmed, and ensure that their quality of life in captivity is not just maintained but enhanced. The importance of incorporating animal welfare into decision-making processes, as it is closely tied to public health and environmental sustainability, has garnered attention in recent years with no indication of fleeting interest. Articulating the observed benefits in farming operations that have adopted positive welfare processes can expose a more sustainable, harmonious relationship between producers and animals in the seafood industry and help facilitate meaningful progress with collective buy-in.