Edition #8

May 2026

TOP NEWS OF THE MONTH!

EURCAW-Aqua participates in AAC Webinar on Fish Welfare

EURCAW-Aqua participated in a webinar organised by the Aquaculture Advisory Council (AAC), bringing together more than 120 stakeholders from across the aquaculture sector.

During the session, Prof. Francesc Padrós presented the role and current activities of EURCAW-Aqua, highlighting the Centre’s support to National Competent Authorities, including training of inspectors, implementation of EU legislation, and stakeholder engagement through the Reflection Board.

The webinar focused on the Code of Good Practices on Fish Welfare and Fish Welfare Indicators, recently developed by the AAC. The discussion provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen collaboration with DG MARE, DG SANTE, and the wider aquaculture community, reinforcing coordinated EU-level efforts to improve fish welfare.

Webinar on Welfare Indicators for Common Carp During Transport

On 3 March 2026, EURCAW-Aqua organised an online webinar titled:

“Welfare indicators and assessment tools for common carp during transport.”

The webinar brought together representatives from National Competent Authorities (NCAs) and state veterinary inspectors from across EU Member States.

The session was opened by Dr Ivona Mladineo (Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences), who introduced the importance of harmonised welfare assessment during transport.

Key presentations included:

• Dr Verena Jung-Schroers (University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover) — Practical approaches to assessing carp welfare during transport 
• Dr Heinz Heistinger (Austria) — National experience from veterinary practice 
• Dr Miroslaw Kuczynski (Poland) — Case studies from official inspections

Interactive quizzes and Q&A sessions supported active participation and exchange of experiences among attendees. The event demonstrated strong interest from competent authorities in improving welfare assessment during fish transport.

March 3, 2026 | Online Webinar

First EURCAW-Aqua Roadshow Successfully Held in Greece

The first EURCAW-Aqua Roadshow was successfully held in Salamina, Greece, bringing together national competent authorities and technical experts for a focused exchange on farmed fish welfare.

Organised by the University of Crete, the event combined expert presentations with a practical on-site visit to a commercial aquaculture facility, offering participants valuable insight into the implementation of welfare legislation under real farming conditions.

The first EURCAW-Aqua Roadshow was successfully held in Salamina, Greece, bringing together national competent authorities and technical experts for a focused exchange on farmed fish welfare.

Organised by the University of Crete, the event combined expert presentations with a practical on-site visit to a commercial aquaculture facility, offering participants valuable insight into the implementation of welfare legislation under real farming conditions.

During the morning session, participants explored:

• The mandate and support tools of EURCAW-Aqua 
• EU legislative requirements for seabass and seabream welfare 
• Scientific approaches to welfare assessment 
• Live polling to identify national training priorities 

The afternoon visit to Argosaronikos S.A. allowed direct observation of harvesting, handling, and packaging procedures, strengthening the connection between regulatory requirements and operational practice.

This pilot Roadshow successfully enhanced institutional knowledge and strengthened dialogue between regulators and operators. It marks the beginning of a broader series of EURCAW-Aqua Roadshows planned across EU Member States.

February 9, 2026 | Salamina

Supporting the Modernisation of EU Animal Welfare Legislation

EURCAW-Aqua continues to monitor policy developments related to the future of animal welfare legislation in the European Union.

A recent European Commission public consultation gathered more than 190,000 responses, demonstrating strong engagement from stakeholders across sectors.

Key findings include:

• Many respondents agreed that current EU animal welfare legislation does not sufficiently ensure the ability of animals to express normal behaviour. 
• Stakeholders identified the coexistence of EU, national, and private standards as a potential administrative burden. 
• Differences in enforcement across Member States were highlighted as a challenge. 
• Strong support was expressed for the use of animal welfare indicators as tools for benchmarking and policy monitoring. 
• Respondents emphasised the importance of simplifying legislation and ensuring equivalent welfare standards for imported products. 

These developments underline the increasing importance of science-based welfare indicators and harmonised approaches — areas where EURCAW-Aqua continues to actively contribute expertise and support.

Common Carp Welfare Factsheet Now Available in Multiple Languages

EURCAW-Aqua is pleased to announce that the Thematic Factsheet on common carp welfare is now available in several additional languages, supporting wider accessibility across EU Member States.

The factsheet provides practical, science-based guidance to support National Competent Authorities and aquaculture professionals in identifying key welfare risks during transport, harvest, and slaughter of common carp. By expanding language availability, EURCAW-Aqua aims to facilitate the consistent application of welfare assessment methods across different countries and production systems.

The factsheet is now accessible in the following languages:

🇬🇧 English
🇩🇪 German
🇵🇱 Polish
🇨🇿 Czech
🇭🇷 Croatian

Access the thematic factsheet here:
https://www.eurcaw-aqua.eu/other/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Upcoming Workshop – Welfare Risks in Rainbow Trout Hatcheries

EURCAW-Aqua is pleased to invite National Competent Authorities and state veterinary inspectors to an upcoming on-site workshop:

“Rainbow trout at hatchery: Welfare risks and practices of welfare concerns.”

The workshop will provide a structured introduction to rainbow trout hatchery systems, focusing on the main welfare risks affecting broodstock, larvae, and fry production phases. Participants will gain both scientific background and practical guidance to support official welfare controls and improve inspection practices.

The programme will include expert presentations covering:

• Welfare risks associated with broodstock and reproductive management 
• Welfare concerns affecting trout larvae and fry 
• The relationship between microbiome and trout welfare 
• Best practices and welfare indicators relevant to hatchery production 

Each session will be followed by discussion opportunities, and refreshment breaks will allow time for networking and exchange of experience among participants.

Location:
Czech Academy of Sciences
Národní 1009/3
Prague, Czech Republic

Participation:
Free of charge, registration required

Registration deadline:
31 August 2026

For more information, please contact:
tereza.kresalova@paru.cas.cz

14 September 2026 | 10:00–15:15 CET  |  Prague, Czech Republic

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HaDEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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