Marine Animals: Animal Welfare

(asked on 12th May 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what progress they have made strengthening legal protections for farmed aquatic animals at the time of slaughter, and (2) what plans they have to introduce (a) specific protections in Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing regulations, or (b) any other legislation in this area.


This question was answered on 26th May 2021

Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing requires that farmed fish are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations. Now we have left the EU we have the opportunity to consider whether detailed regulation is needed.

We have recently concluded a review of the welfare of animals at the time of killing legislation and this identified potential improvements that might be made, including on the welfare of farmed fish at slaughter. We are carefully considering issues raised in the review.

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