Friend of the Sea’s (FOS) certification scheme for farmed fish strives to minimize the negative effects of fish farming on the marine environment and provide a tool for the industry to develop in a sustainable and fish-friendly way. They certify 1% of global farmed fish, which equates to hundreds of millions of fish each year. FOS has also developed a standard for sustainable fisheries – wild-caught fish – in response to unsustainable fishing practices and overfishing that threatens the health of our oceans and access to marine resources by future generations.
FOS standards do not currently consider animal welfare in their requirements, but they are currently working on improvements in their standards to promote animal welfare in the companies they certify. Compassion will continue to support FOS to ensure they strengthen their standards to levels adequate for good fish welfare and make these mandatory for all the companies they certify.
Standards for wild-caught fish
Reducing suffering during capture?
No, FOS does not ensure that the methods used to catch fish and bring them aboard the fishing vessels protect fish welfare in any way. There are no restrictions on the type of fishing methods used or the duration of capture – so the fish can endure painful deaths for that can last over an hour.
Fast and painless slaughter?
No, FOS does not require humane slaughter of farmed fish. There will be reference to humane slaughter in the new standards, but it is not yet known whether this will be mandatory or optional. If given the option, many of the farmers will decide to not invest in the required equipment to ensure a humane slaughter, ensuring many fish endure a slow and painful death.
Standards for farmed fish
Enough space for fish to swim?
No, FOS does not ensure that the fish they certify have enough space for good welfare. They plan to introduce limits for fish per square meter for 25 species into their new standards, but we do not yet know the specifics and are unsure if these standards will be mandatory or adequate for good welfare.
Steps taken to reduce antibiotic use?
Yes, FOS has taken steps to reduce the use of antibiotics on certified farms. FOS does not allow fish farms to use a constant stream of antibiotics as a preventative measure for disease, which reduces the chance of antibiotic resistance in humans. They plan to include more specific requirements on antibiotic use – especially the use of drugs deemed critically important by the World Health Organization – in their new standards.
Farmers prohibited from harming wildlife?
No, FOS permits farmers to harm and kill wildlife to keep them out of their fish farms. FOS will introduce a predator control plan in their new standards, which includes the prohibition of killing endangered species; however, they will not prohibit killing or harm to non-endangered species such as seals and most dolphins and whales.
Starving of fish kept to a minimum?
No, FOS does not specify a maximum limit time without feed for farmed fish. As a result, farmers are permitted to starve fish for days, or even weeks. These fish suffer from hunger and frustration at not being able to search for food, which can also result in aggression.
FOS intend to put specific and mandatory “time without feed” protocols for 25 species in their new standards, but we do not yet know if these standards will be adequate for good fish welfare.
Do the fish have enrichment?
No, FOS does not require enrichment for farmed fish. Barren farm environments limit the expression of natural behaviors, resulting in negative impacts on the physical and mental health of the fish, with many experiencing inescapable and debilitating boredom.
FOS may include enrichment requirements for 25 species in their new standards – but it is not yet clear if they will be mandatory or optional. These standards must be mandatory to ensure that the farms they certify comply to improve the lives of countless fish.
Steps taken to reduce the use of wild-caught fish as feed?
No, FOS allows wild-caught fish to be fed to farmed fish. They do have some recommendations in place to reduce excessive use of wild-caught fish for feed – such as the use of trimmings (by-products of the fishing industry), but these are inadequate to ensure that countless fish aren’t killed just to be fed to farmed fish. They require that wild fish caught for feed come from certified fisheries.
Also, the new FOS standards will ask that the wild-caught fish come from more sustainable, transparent, and traceable sources. However, they do not specify the required steps to actively reduce the amount of wild-caught fish in the feeds.
Fast and painless slaughter?
No, FOS does not require humane slaughter of farmed fish. There will be reference to humane slaughter in the new standards, but it is not yet known whether this will be mandatory or optional. If given the option, many of the farmers will decide to not invest in the required equipment to ensure a humane slaughter, ensuring many fish endure a slow and painful death.