Question to the EC: Effectiveness of equipment for stunning fish

Subject: Effectiveness of equipment for stunning fish 

In its report of March 2018 to the European Parliament and the Council on the possibility of introducing certain requirements regarding the protection of fish at the time of killing (COM(2018) 87 final), the Commission points out that many commonly used stunning devices were developed with no input from with research institutes.

The report states that their effectiveness is therefore open to question and that it is not known whether World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) standards on animal welfare are being met in this regard. Study visits have shown that these devices take far longer to knock the fish out than the one second required by OIE standards and recommended by the European Food Safety Authority's scientific opinions. 

In light of this, can the Commission explain:

1. What measures have been taken to verify the effectiveness of these stunning devices? 

2. What steps has the Commission taken to involve researchers in this area and to help fish farmers employ effective stunning equipment? 

3. How does the Commission intend to help develop effective stunning devices and the means for evaluating them in the future?

Answer in writing 

The fish sector is primarily responsible for the development of stunning devices but the EU has also funded some research projects on stunning of farmed fish such as MAXIMUS(1) and ICE2LAST(2).

It remains to the competent authorities to verify if fish are spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations(3). 

Against this background, the Commission considers that Member States have sufficient technical(4) and scientific information(5) to develop extensive national rules on the protection of fish at the time of killing.

In 2019, the Commission started an evaluation of the EU animal welfare strategy 2012-2015(6). The evaluation is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. In parallel, in the context of the European Green Deal(7), the Commission intends to present a Farm to Fork Strategy in spring 2020, which will also look at animal welfare. Furthermore, the revision of the Strategic Guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture — to be adopted in the autumn of 2020 — will address fish welfare issues as well. 

The evaluation of the EU animal welfare strategy, the Farm to Fork Strategy and the revision of the Strategic Guidelines for the sustainable development of EU aquaculture will contribute to design future activities in the field of animal welfare.

(1)       https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/101647/factsheet/en

(2)       https://www.fabiodisconzi.com/open-h2020/projects/205129/index.html

(3)       Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing (OJ L 303, 18.11.2009, p. 1).

(4)       OIE Aquatic Animal Health Code Chapter 7.3. Welfare aspects of stunning and killing of farmed fish for human consumption

(5)       EFSA Scientific opinions on stunning of main fish species:

https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/fish-welfare

(6)       COM(2012)0006 final.

(7)       COM(2019) 640 final.

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