42 MARCH 2023 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG In addition to tracking their own progress, users can see how they compare to others using similar production systems. For other stakeholders, such as goods and equipment suppliers, information on health and welfare in production and slaughter can be shared. Users can generate targeted reports about the impact of the tool on the tilapia sector. The service is offered to farmers free of charge, with the highest general data protection regulation standards and information disclosure and security levels in place. Conclusion The use of an animal-centered approach argues that assessing the welfare of individuals or groups of aquatic animals, naturally leads to fulfilment of their nutritional, health, environmental and behavioral needs. As a positive spiral, if any problem regarding any of these aspects is found, best aquaculture practices needs to be taken to improve it, resulting in better welfare. As the most critical stage of the supply chain, the farm is where most actions of welfare improvement can be performed. With this “bottom-up” approach, farmers can apply better aquaculture practices and fish husbandry at the farm level and constantly benchmark their own production internally and with others and seek knowledge online and in person to secure optimal productivity. Producers and processors can report on their developments in terms of positive welfare processes and actions, and secure better yields and quality. Food brands and retailers can provide more transparency to their clients on how and under what conditions their food has been produced. The practical application of animal welfare science is an important tool to reduce the environmental impact of farms, increase their economic resilience and support social development. It can improve the quality of life for people and fish. For those interested in learning in detail how the assessment protocol can be applied, please access Fai.academy and register for the free Tilapia Welfare Courses. The Tilapia Welfare app is available as a free download from mytilapia.farm. Tilapia with a swollen eye. Tilapia blind in one eye. Tilapia with an extrememly deformed jaw. FIGURE 3. Examples of health indicators in tilapia. FIGURE 4. The six nutrition indicators. FIGURE 5. The ten environmental indicators. FIGURE 6. The three behavioral indicators.
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