Latest news with #WelfareFootprintFramework
News18
5 hours ago
- Health
- News18
Fish Suffer In Pain For 20 Minutes Before Dying Out Of Water, Says New Study
Last Updated: Fish like rainbow trout suffer for up to 20 minutes when killed by air suffocation. Within just a minute of air exposure, they show severe stress and pain, says a new study A recent scientific study has revealed that fish such as rainbow trout, which are killed for human consumption, experience severe pain for two to 20 minutes after being removed from water. This shocking finding was published in the journal Scientific Reports, which examined air asphyxiation, a common method of killing fish, where fish are left to suffocate in the open air. On average, rainbow trout endure moderate to severe pain for 10 minutes during this process. Pain Begins in Just 60 Seconds The study found that within just one minute of being exposed to air, fish begin to show serious signs of stress. This stress response is far more intense than that caused by other common triggers like crowding, handling, or low oxygen levels. Within 60 seconds, fish begin to suffer from hydromineral imbalance, a disruption in the balance of water and minerals in their body, which further increases their pain and discomfort. Ice Slurry Method Causes Even More Suffering In some places, fish are killed by placing them in ice-cold water. However, the study states this method may be even more painful. In ice water, the fish's metabolism slows down, meaning it takes longer for them to lose consciousness. As a result, they stay alive and in pain for a longer time. According to the study, for every dollar spent, it is possible to reduce animal suffering by 1 to 20 hours, making this not just humane, but also highly cost-effective. Co-author of the research, Vladimir Alonso, explained that the study used a scientific model called the Welfare Footprint Framework, which provides a transparent way to assess the well-being of animals. He believes the findings could help policymakers reduce the suffering of the 2.2 trillion unfarmed and 171 billion farmed fish killed globally each year. This research highlights not just the importance of humane treatment for fish, but also the potential for science and policy to work together in making food production less cruel.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Fish endure intense pain up to 24 minutes when killed, study reveals
Source: Every year, wild and farmed fish are killed in great numbers to feed humanity. A new study discovers that some of the fish suffer between two to twenty minutes of intense pain, once they are killed for food. Even stuffing fish in ice slurry after catching them could cause severe pain. According to the researchers found that rainbow trout- a species of fish consumed across the globe- experience around 10 minutes of moderate to intense pain when killed through 'air asphyxiation', a common method used in fish farming and commercial farming. A new study led by researchers sheds light on this pain and suggests ways to reduce it, as animal welfare groups state that it is an inhumane process, given the amount of time it takes for them to lose consciousness. Fish suffer for long minutes of pain after being caught When fish are pulled out of water, they experience a prolonged and stressful decline, lasting up to 24 minutes. The process of air asphyxiation involves removing the fish from water, leading to oxygen deprivation, panic, and a slow decline into unconsciousness. Their gills collapse, they gasp in panic, their blood chemistry spirals, and oxygen disappears as carbon dioxide builds. To quantify this suffering, scientists developed the Welfare Footprint Framework, which measures pain in minutes. Applying this framework to trout slaughter, researchers found that fish endure about 10 minutes of severe pain, including hurtful and disabling suffering,with some cases extending beyond 20 minutes. When adjusted by weight, that translates to 24 minutes of such pain per kilogram of fish killed. The researchers analyzed behavioral, neurological, and physiological responses to understand the fish's experience, highlighting the need for more human slaughter methods. Why fish suffer even before they're killed The suffering of fish often begins before the actual slaughter, with stressors like crowding, transport, and handling causing physical injury and hours of distress. Methods like air asphyxiation and ice exposure can prolong suffering, with the latter risking tissue damage and thermal shock. Regulations often overlook these pre-slaughter stressors, despite the significant impact on fish welfare. Fish slaughter pain is not limited to Trout, experts warn Although the study mainly focused on Rainbow trout, other species may suffer in similar ways during air exposure. Some species tolerate low oxygen better, while others may react more strongly to ice. Salmon, Catfish, Seabass, and Tilapia are a few of the species. Dr. Wladimir Alonso from Welfare Footprint Institute noted, 'The Welfare Footprint Framework provides a rigorous and transparent evidence-based approach to measuring animal welfare, and enables informed decisions about where to allocate resources for the greatest impact.' Making fish farming more humane The study suggests that improved stunning methods and worker training can significantly reduce fish suffering . This research provides a scientific basis for policymakers to reform laws, ensuring more humane slaughter practices. For consumers, it highlights the importance of considering the welfare of fish when making food choices. Improving slaughter methods can have a substantial impact, given the large number of fish affected Also read | Scientists spot 'superorganism' in the wild for the first time — and it's made of worms
NDTV
3 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
Fish Endure Intense Pain Up To 20 Minutes When Killed, New Study Finds
A new study has shown that fish, such as rainbow trout, suffer between two to 20 minutes of intense pain when they are killed for food. The study findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, focused on a common method of slaughtering fish called air asphyxiation, where fish are deprived of oxygen. It showed that the rainbow trout endures an average of 10 minutes of moderate to intense pain during air asphyxiation. Animal welfare groups have called out this method, stating that it is an inhumane process given the amount of time it takes them to lose consciousness. "As little as 60 seconds of air exposure has been shown to elicit a physiological stress response consistently greater than that triggered by longer-lasting stressor," the study highlighted. "Notably, air exposure is the only stressor capable of causing hydromineral disturbance within such a short time frame. Other stressors (eg, hypoxia, crowding, handling) require longer exposure to elicit comparable responses." The findings also showed that stuffing fish in ice slurry after catching them could cause even greater pain. During this process, the metabolic process of the fish is slowed down while the lower temperatures extend the time to unconsciousness -- inflicting further misery on these organisms. The study suggested that electrical stunning, if implemented properly, could significantly reduce the pain experienced by fish -- potentially averting one to 20 hours of moderate to extreme pain for every dollar spent. "These findings provide transparent, evidence-grounded and comparable metrics to guide cost–benefit decisions and inform slaughter regulation," it stated. The researchers hope that the findings could help improve the welfare of up to 2.2 trillion wild and 171 billion farmed fish killed every year for human consumption. "The Welfare Footprint Framework provides a rigorous and transparent evidence-based approach to measuring animal welfare and enables informed decisions about where to allocate resources for the greatest impact," said Wladimir Alonso, a co-author of the study. "These findings provide transparent, evidence-grounded and comparable metrics to guide cost-benefit decisions and inform slaughter regulations and practices in trout."
