History

January 2016

Determination of position

The Albert Schweitzer Foundation (ASF) sponsors scientific research on the topic of “animal welfare in aquaculture”.

January 2016
March 2016

Statement

A statement on animal welfare in trout farming is issued in cooperation with the Marine Aquaculture Association (GMA, Gesellschaft für Marine Aquakultur) and the coordination unit of the Competence Network Aquaculture.

March 2016
ongoing

Fish farm visits

Kaufland (a major German hypermarket chain) and ASF visit the trout farm Zordel in Eyach river valley which marks the kick-off for discussions with fishery science and aquaculture experts.

ongoing
September 2016

Advanced training concept

ASF funds the development of an advanced training concept on animal welfare in aquaculture.

September 2016
November 2016

Fair Fish Conference in Zurich

Representatives from aquaculture, food retailing, certification bodies and NGOs discuss opportunities for leveraging animal welfare.

November 2016
ongoing

Networking

The Freshwater Fishery and Fish Farming Association of Schleswig-Holstein and scientists of the Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology join the consultations. The scientific network of the project expands continously.

ongoing
January 2017

Project initiation

ASF initiates an intersectoral process to come to an agreement on international animal welfare standards in aquaculture. The project title is “Setting welfare standards in aquaculture”.

January 2017
ongoing

Literature research

Scientists of the Christian Albrechts University of Kiel (CAU) and the Marine Aquaculture Association (GMA) conduct a continuous literature research on aquaculture related topics.

ongoing
February 2017

Fishing industry summit

Value chain representatives discuss the topic “animal welfare in aquaculture” on the occasion of the fishing industry summit 2017.

February 2017
ongoing

Lectures

The project is presented at the annual congress of the Freshwater Fishery and Fish Farming Association in Schleswig-Holstein, followed by an ongoing series of expert lectures.

ongoing
March 2017

New partners

Kaufland intensifies the cooperation with the project team and contributes to funding scientific studies.

March 2017

Lecture at the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology (TU Bergakademie Freiberg)

As part of a lecture series at the Freiberg University the project team gives a lecture on sustainability and animal welfare in aquaculture.

May 2017

Consumer study I

A team of business psychologists and scientists of the University of Bonn initiates studies based on depth psychology relating to consumer perception of animal welfare topics in aquaculture.

May 2017
ongoing

Workshops

In a first workshop, fish farmers, veterinarians, animal rights activists and scientists work with the project leader to identify the basics for animal welfare standards in aquaculture to be established for the entire industry. Further workshops follow.

ongoing
June 2017

Lecture at the Thünen Institute

The project is presented at the event “Current issues relating to animal welfare and protection” organized by the Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology.

June 2017
September 2017

1st Summer Shoal

The congress “Summer Shoal on Fish Ethology and Welfare” organized by Fair Fish gives the project team the opportunity for further international networking.

September 2017
Ongoing

Research

In cooperation with GMA (Marine Aquaculture Association) the project team sponsors a Master’s Thesis at CAU (University of Kiel) on the topic “Concept for evaluation of animal welfare measures in rainbow trout (oncorhynchus mykiss) farming”.

Ongoing
Oktober 2017

New partners

The REWE Group (another major German hypermarket chain) joins the consultations.

Oktober 2017
January 2018

Presentation of the pilot study

The project’s qualitative psychological pilot study under the title “Fish, fish production and animal welfare” dealing with fish production related issues and criteria from a consumer perspective is presented on basis of in-depth interviews and group discussions.

January 2018
February 2018

SCOPE Aquaculture Workshop

On the occasion of the “Fish International 2018” convention the project team organizes a workshop on “animal welfare in aquaculture” with lectures by international experts on basis of scientific evidence and practical experience.

February 2018
ongoing

Translation of guidance document

The project team initiates the translation of the “Guidance on Animal Welfare Indicators in Aquaculture” from German to English to make it available on an international level. It was issued by VDFF, the Association of German Fishery Officers and Scientists. Further translations will follow.

ongoing
March 2018

New partners

Lidl, another major German hypermarket chain, joins the consultations.

March 2018

Press release

The German food journal LZ (Lebensmittelzeitung) reports on the project team’s initiative to bring industry representatives together to delelop a global meta-standard for animal welfare in aquaculture.

April 2018

New partners

The northern and southern divisions of the German hypermarket chain Aldi join the consultations.

April 2018
June 2018

Presentation at the German Association of Freshwater Fishery and Aquaculture (VDBA)

Kaufland and the project leader present the project objectives at the annual meeting of the German Association of Freshwater Fishery and Aquaculture.

June 2018

Terms of reference

Industry representatives are invited as founding members of the “Aquaculture Welfare Standards Initiative”. Letters of intent, non-disclosure agreements and an antitrust statement are signed.

September 2018

2nd Summer Shoal

The second congress “Summer Shoal on Fish Ethology and Welfare” organized by Fair-Fish International and research team of FishEthoBase takes place in Italy.

September 2018
KICK-OFF

Founding of AWSI

AWSI, the “Aquaculture Welfare Standards Initiave”, is founded. The founding members include the food retail chains Kaufland, REWE, Lidl, Lidl Foundation, Aldi Nord (north), Aldi Süd (south), Edeka Südwest (southwest), as well as the convention center Messe Bremen, the certification bodies Global G.A.P. and ASC, the trout farms Zordel and Heidefisch, the plant engineering company Sander, board members of VDFF and VDBA and scientists of GMA (Marine Aquaculture Association), CAU (Christian Albrechts University of Kiel), LfL (Bavarian state office for agriculture), Thünen Institute and IGB (Leibnitz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries). AWSI’s work will focus on the main issues water quality, feeding, handling, transport and fish stunning and slaughter.

KICK-OFF
December 2018

Webinar

The results of AWSI’s first depth psychological consumer study are being shared with AWSI members in an online presentation.

December 2018
March 2019

Online Meeting

In an online meeting AWSI members agree on initating a second consumer study. It is also agreed that AWSI will present its work to the expert community at the congress “Aquaculture Europe 2019” and at the convention “fish international 2020”.

March 2019
April 2019

Consumer study II

A second depth psychological study commissioned by AWSI begins in Hamburg. Behind the scenes, representatives from food retail, research and certification follow the survey of consumers. Further surveys as well as individual interviews are carried out in Cologne and Stuttgart.

April 2019
June 2019

Impact analysis

The impact analysis of the 2nd consumer study on animal welfare in aquaculture is finalized.

June 2019
July 2019

Online presentation

In cooperation with BVLH (the German Federal Food Trade Association), AWSI is introduced to potential new members from the food retail and production sector.

July 2019
July 2019

Online meeting

AWSI members discuss the results of the second consumer study, website content and planned events.

July 2019
October 2019

AQUACULTURE EUROPE

The European Aquaculture Society organizes a convention and congress in Berlin spanning several days under the title “Our Future – GROWING from WATER”. AWSI has a booth and gives lectures. The Aquaculture Welfare Standards Initiative is represented internationally under both acronyms: ITA-AWSI.

October 2019
November 2019

AWSI annual meeting

The trout farm Zordel in the Black Forest, Germany, is the venue of AWSI’s annual meeting. The team finalizes their AWSI recommendations for animal welfare compliant trout and carp stunning and slaughter. They will be disseminated internationally in on-site workshops in the following year.

November 2019
February 2020

Scope lounge

Sustainability and animal welfare in fish production are the keynote at the fish international convention held at the Bremen convention center from 9 to 11 February 2020. AWSI presents its work in workshop titled “Animal welfare aspects in the production process”.

February 2020
March 2020

Covid-19 is spreading

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated contact restrictions derail all AWSI plans for workshops on international aquaculture farms for a longer period of time.

March 2020
September 2020

AWSI head office

AWSI opens a new pandemic-proof office in the old fish market hall in Kiel’s “Center for Maritime Technology and Seafish Market”.

September 2020
Oktober 2020

Animal welfare monitoring

AWSI contributes to the expert discussions in an online meeting of the “NaTiMon” (National Aquatic Animal Welfare Monitoring) project team, sponsored by BMEL (German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture). It becomes apparent that the approaches of the industry initiative and the research project complement each other optimally.

Oktober 2020
November 2020

IGN focus

The International Society of Livestock Husbandry (IGN) publishes the brochure “Fish welfare in aquaculture – problems and approaches”. AWSI contributed an article.

November 2020
December 2020

Aquaculture Round Table

The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture invites AWSI to present its project work on the occasion of the Aquaculure Round Table.

December 2020
February 2021

Online workshop

The German Federal Food Trade Association hosts an online workshop under the title “Establishing animal welfare standards in aquaculture – current status and outlook”. The AWSI members ASC and Global G.A.P. present their concepts and AWSI presents the commom project goals. The discussion is moderated by BMV (Federal Market Association of the Fish Industry).

February 2021
ongoing

AWSI expansion

AWSI recruits additional members from retail, science, fish farms and certifiers.

ongoing
March 2021

AWSI annual meeting

AWSI members adopt their basic recommendations on the 5 key topics of animal welfare in aquaculture. Due to the pandemic the annual meeting does not take place on a fish farm this time, but is held as an online meeting.

March 2021
April 2021

Covid-19 change of course

The ongoing pandemic makes the planned implementation of the AWSI advanced training concept impossible until further notice.
Alternatively, the basic recommendations will now be conveyed in interactive VR learning modules. The company 4DimBLICK GmbH is commissioned with the development.

April 2021
KICK-OFF

AWSI basic recommendations

ASWSI’s basic recommendations are released in expert circles and their translation into other languages is initiated.

KICK-OFF
June 2021

VR training software

The Kiel based start-up 4DimBLICK GmbH develops a concept for AWSI to make animal welfare in aquaculture trainable interactively and immersively via VR modules. The server supported software allows contact-free decentralized seminars worldwide.

June 2021
July 2021

VR learning module I

In close cooperation with the AWSI member “Fischzucht Knutzen” (Knutzen’s fish farm), 4DimBLICK GmbH creates the first VR training module for the animal welfare-friendly slaughter of trout.

July 2021
KICK-OFF

AWSI facing fish welfare

After a long Corona break, AWSI members meet again in person at (and on) the Kiel Fjord. The members test the software “ITA facing fish welfare” and see for themselves how VR-based learning content can contribute to an improvement of animal welfare in aquaculture in the future.

KICK-OFF
November 2021

VR learning module II

The annual fishing of carp at Knutzen’s fish farm is documented with VR 3D cameras.
AWSI’s second VR training module for animal welfare-friendly stunning and slaughtering of carp passes the practical test.

November 2021