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Animals
Special Issues
Animal Health and Welfare in Aquaculture
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Animal Health and Welfare in Aquaculture

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Welfare".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 March 2024) | Viewed by 9239

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Antonio Ostrensky

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Grupo Integrado de Aquicultura, Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários 1540, Juvevê, Curitiba 80035-050, Paraná, Brazil
Interests: aquaculture fisheries; aquaculture management; marine aquaculture; aquatic animal welfare; water quality; fish biology; fish ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aquaculture is a rapidly growing industry and is one of the most efficient methods of producing animal protein. However, many questions remain about the health and welfare of aquatic animals in captivity. This Special Issue in Animals aims to reflect on this situation by focusing on the latest and most innovative ideas in the field.

We encourage you to submit articles that present discoveries, methods, and solutions to improve the quality of life of captive aquatic animals. Topics may include hygiene management, selection and genetic improvement, breeding systems, water quality and environmental factors, nutrition, environment, the interaction between captive aquatic animals and their environment, new technologies for monitoring the health and welfare of captive marine animals, and animal welfare in general.

Your research can contribute to a more efficient, ethical, and responsible future for animal protein production. Submit your article today and be included in this special issue of Animals, one of the world's most respected publications in animal themes. Do not miss this opportunity to present your discoveries and research findings to the global scientific community.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Antonio Ostrensky
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aquatic animals
  • aquaculture
  • health management
  • welfare
  • hygiene management
  • genetic improvement
  • water quality
  • nutrition
  • monitoring technologies
  • sustainable aquaculture

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 515 KiB  
Article
Fish Welfare-Related Issues and Their Relevance in Land-Based Olive Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) Farms in Korea
by Seoyeon Oh and Seunghyung Lee
Animals 2024, 14(11), 1693; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14111693 - 5 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1467
Abstract
Korean aquaculture has expanded considerably in recent decades; however, this growth has often prioritized quantity over fish welfare. Therefore, we analyzed the aquaculture practices of olive flounder, the predominant species in Korean consumption and production, within the framework of fish welfare. We conducted [...] Read more.
Korean aquaculture has expanded considerably in recent decades; however, this growth has often prioritized quantity over fish welfare. Therefore, we analyzed the aquaculture practices of olive flounder, the predominant species in Korean consumption and production, within the framework of fish welfare. We conducted extensive interviews and surveys across olive flounder farms in Jeju-do and Wando to examine prevalent issues impacting fish welfare in aquaculture. These issues include stressors, mass mortality events, and disease outbreaks, all of which strain the welfare of farmed fish. Moreover, our survey revealed farmers’ varying perceptions of fish welfare, highlighting the necessity for a cohesive approach. Accordingly, we propose recommendations to enhance fish welfare and establish a more sustainable aquaculture model in Korea. Ensuring fish welfare in aquaculture operations requires a comprehensive approach that considers the physiological and behavioral needs of fish throughout the farming lifecycle. By prioritizing fish welfare, Korean aquaculture can strengthen its growth while maintaining ethical standards and ensuring the well-being of farmed fish. This welfare-centric approach is crucial for the long-term sustainability and resilience of the Korean aquaculture industry. By addressing welfare concerns and promoting responsible practices, Korean aquaculture can foster an ethically sound and sustainable future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Health and Welfare in Aquaculture)
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22 pages, 3024 KiB  
Article
Augmenting Aquaculture Efficiency through Involutional Neural Networks and Self-Attention for Oplegnathus Punctatus Feeding Intensity Classification from Log Mel Spectrograms
by Usama Iqbal, Daoliang Li, Zhuangzhuang Du, Muhammad Akhter, Zohaib Mushtaq, Muhammad Farrukh Qureshi and Hafiz Abbad Ur Rehman
Animals 2024, 14(11), 1690; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14111690 - 5 Jun 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1337
Abstract
Understanding the feeding dynamics of aquatic animals is crucial for aquaculture optimization and ecosystem management. This paper proposes a novel framework for analyzing fish feeding behavior based on a fusion of spectrogram-extracted features and deep learning architecture. Raw audio waveforms are first transformed [...] Read more.
Understanding the feeding dynamics of aquatic animals is crucial for aquaculture optimization and ecosystem management. This paper proposes a novel framework for analyzing fish feeding behavior based on a fusion of spectrogram-extracted features and deep learning architecture. Raw audio waveforms are first transformed into Log Mel Spectrograms, and a fusion of features such as the Discrete Wavelet Transform, the Gabor filter, the Local Binary Pattern, and the Laplacian High Pass Filter, followed by a well-adapted deep model, is proposed to capture crucial spectral and spectral information that can help distinguish between the various forms of fish feeding behavior. The Involutional Neural Network (INN)-based deep learning model is used for classification, achieving an accuracy of up to 97% across various temporal segments. The proposed methodology is shown to be effective in accurately classifying the feeding intensities of Oplegnathus punctatus, enabling insights pertinent to aquaculture enhancement and ecosystem management. Future work may include additional feature extraction modalities and multi-modal data integration to further our understanding and contribute towards the sustainable management of marine resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Health and Welfare in Aquaculture)
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14 pages, 670 KiB  
Article
Pre-Slaughter Stunning Methods Influence the Meat Quality of Arapaima gigas Fillets
by Jucilene Braitenbach Cavali, Sheyla Cristina Vargas Baldi, Ana Sabrina Coutinho Marques Rocha, Erica Eloy da Silva, Carla Taveira Nunes, Emerson Carlos Soares, Sandro de Vargas Schons, Renato Zanella, Rute Bianchini Pontuschka and Jerônimo Vieira Dantas Filho
Animals 2024, 14(8), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14081155 - 11 Apr 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2025
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different stunning methods on the meat quality of Arapaima gigas fillets from fish farming. A total of 48 specimens of A. gigas in the weight class 11.1 to 14.0 kg were investigated; [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different stunning methods on the meat quality of Arapaima gigas fillets from fish farming. A total of 48 specimens of A. gigas in the weight class 11.1 to 14.0 kg were investigated; these fish were subjected to different stunning methods for slaughter: ice asphyxia (IA), air asphyxia (AA), electronarcosis (EE) and hypothermia followed by bleeding (HB). Then, data were obtained from the analysis of pH, rigor mortis index (RI), water activity (Aw), instrumental texture (compression strength, firmness and adhesiveness) and blood glucose and via instrumental colourimetry. During the study, for up to 15 days of refrigerated storage, the methods provided pH values below 6.0. A. gigas submitted to EE and HB remained longer in the pre-rigor status. In addition, they expressed lower percentages of Aw. The EE method resulted in better texture assignments in the fillets. The blood glucose values indicated that the fish subjected to EE were less stressed. Concerning instrumental colourimetry, the fillets submitted to EE and HB showed greater luminosity; the fillets subjected to AA showed greater red-green colour intensity, while the fillets subjected to EE showed greater yellow-blue colour intensity. Therefore, the fish did not suffer stress with electronarcosis, and the fillets showed better preservation, juiciness, and tenderness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Health and Welfare in Aquaculture)
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12 pages, 7479 KiB  
Article
Effects of Chronic Heat Stress on Kidney Damage, Apoptosis, Inflammation, and Heat Shock Proteins of Siberian Sturgeon (Acipenser baerii)
by Zhaoxin Jing, Qianyu Chen, Chaozhan Yan, Chaoyang Zhang, Zihan Xu, Xiaoli Huang, Jiayun Wu, Yunkun Li and Shiyong Yang
Animals 2023, 13(23), 3733; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13233733 - 2 Dec 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1934
Abstract
Chronic heat stress caused by global warming can have serious implications for fish survival. The kidney plays a central role in many homeostatic functions, including water and electrolyte regulation. However, there is limited knowledge about the effect of heat stress on fish kidneys. [...] Read more.
Chronic heat stress caused by global warming can have serious implications for fish survival. The kidney plays a central role in many homeostatic functions, including water and electrolyte regulation. However, there is limited knowledge about the effect of heat stress on fish kidneys. In this study, water temperatures were increased from 20 °C to 24 °C and 28 °C in 8 days at a warming rate of 1 °C/d, and then maintained for 12 days. We investigated the effects of mild heat stress (24 °C) and high heat stress (28 °C) on Siberian Sturgeon (Acipenser baerii) kidneys using histological observation, flow cytometry detection, and RT-qPCR. Our histological observations revealed that heat stress caused significant infiltration of inflammatory cells in the kidney, especially at 28 °C. The flow cytometry assay demonstrated a significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells after heat stress at 28 °C compared to a control group at 20 °C (p = 0.033). The level of plasma creatinine was significantly increased in the 28 °C group compared to the control group (p = 0.001). In addition, the mRNA expression levels of heat shock protein GRP75 increased (p = 0.009). The results indicate that heat stress at 28 °C caused damage to the kidneys of A. baerii and triggered the protective response of heat shock proteins. In conclusion, this study contributes to the understanding of the coping strategies of the kidney of A. baerii for chronic heat stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Health and Welfare in Aquaculture)
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14 pages, 1630 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Effects of Acute Stress Exposure on Lumpfish Plasma and Liver Biomarkers
by Tiago da Santa Lopes, Benjamin Costas, Lourenço Ramos-Pinto, Patrick Reynolds, Albert K. D. Imsland and Jorge M. O. Fernandes
Animals 2023, 13(23), 3623; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13233623 - 23 Nov 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1728
Abstract
This study aimed to expand knowledge on lumpfish stress physiology by investigating the effects of acute stress on primary (i.e., cortisol) and secondary (e.g., metabolites) stress responses, as well as oxidative stress biomarkers, from stress exposure to a recovery phase. The results showed [...] Read more.
This study aimed to expand knowledge on lumpfish stress physiology by investigating the effects of acute stress on primary (i.e., cortisol) and secondary (e.g., metabolites) stress responses, as well as oxidative stress biomarkers, from stress exposure to a recovery phase. The results showed that the lumpfish physiological response to 1 min air exposure is mild, in line with recent studies, and comparable to that described for white sturgeons. Cortisol seems to be the most reliable acute stress biomarker in lumpfish, with a significant increase in plasma 30 min after stress exposure, returning to resting levels 2 h after exposure. In contrast, glucose and lactate were not significantly altered by short-term air exposure. Effects on hepatic energy mobilisation were also detected following the acute stress. This study showed that acute 1 min air exposure seems tolerable, allowing a swift recovery. However, more studies on the impacts of air exposure and repeated acute stressors on lumpfish stress and immune responses are required to develop industry standards for lumpfish health and welfare monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Health and Welfare in Aquaculture)
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