Environmental enrichment in fish aquaculture: a review of fundamental and practical aspects

Arechavala-Lopez, Pablo; Cabrera-Alvarez , Maria; Marques Maia, Caroline; Saraiva, João L.; Tejada, S.; Saraiva, J. L.; Sureda, A.; Moranta, D.; Patarnello, Tomaso; Marino, Ilaria A M; Zane, Lorenzo; Adelino V.M. Canario

Joao L. Saraiva

Position

Researcher

Academic Degree

Doutoramento

Group Leader

Fish Ethology and Welfare

Based at

Faro, Gambelas Campus, UAlg

Office Nr

2.81

jsaraiva@ualg.pt

Keywords

animal behaviour; welfare; chemical communication; reproduction; invasive species; physiology

ORCID ID

ResearchGate

Organiza

Main Info

João Saraiva is a fish ethologist with a special interest in welfare. He is currently leading the Fish Ethology and Welfare Group at the Centre of Marine Sciences in Faro, Portugal and is the president and founder of the FishEthoGroup Association. With a research background on behaviour and communication in teleosts, João now focuses on the application of fundamental science to improve the welfare of fishes, both in aquaculture and in fisheries. He is the author of over 50 scientific publications and co-editor of a book on the topic of fish welfare. The team lead by João has an extensive record of achievements in research, training, dissemination and consultancy. He is an invited lecturer of Ethology at the University of Algarve, and also works as a consultant for the European Commission, certification bodies and other private stakeholders.

Activities

Type of Event

Scientific Gathering

IV Fish Welfare Summer Shoal

After a forced halt in the last two years, 2022 marks the return of the pioneer event gathering stakeholders in constructive dialogue around the welfare of fish. The Fishethogroup, fair-fish...

Group

Fish Ethology and Welfare

June 28, 2022 to July 1, 2022

Ria Formosa

Type of Event

Scientific Gathering

5th Fish Welfare Summer Shoal

fair-fish and its partners CCMAR, Fishethogroup Association, Friend of the Sea, and Demos proudly present the 5 th edition of the Summer Shoal. The topic of "fish welfare" is highly relevant. This is...

Group

Fish Ethology and Welfare

September 12, 2023 to September 15, 2023

Ria Formosa

News

New book on fish welfare edited by CCMAR researchers

A new book entitled “Welfare of Cultured and Experimental Fishes” was recently edited by João L. Saraiva and Pablo Arechavala-Lopez, researchers from the Center for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) . Fish welfare is a recent field , but is beginning to receive due attention not only from researchers, but also from consumers, industry and policy makers.

Fish Ethology and Welfare group, from the Centre for Marine Sciences (CCMAR) organized last November a unique fish welfare course, attended by some renowned international researchers in this area.

The third edition of the Summer Shoal, dedicate to fish welfare, was organized for the first time in Portugal and was a huge success.

RESEARCH TREND ALERT: Now that eco-concerns have pushed the agenda towards sustainable aquaculture, it is time to address welfare in fish farming.

CCMAR inspires is a series of events organized to nourish the curiosity of our researchers and feed the discussions on scientific topics. The first session is scheduled to next Friday, February 7th, at 5pm and Alexandre Quintanilha will talk about: “Knowledge as the basis of democracy”.

CCMAR researcher, João Saraiva, represented his work at European Maritime Day 2019.

João Saraiva is going to re-join CCMAR, leading a new research group focused in Ethology and Welfare.
Welcome back João!

Os cientistas já sabiam que muitas espécies usam a comunicação química nas suas interações sociais, mas num estudo recentemente publicado na revista Scientific Reports, um grupo de investigadores do Centro de Ciências do Mar, dá conta de que o peixe tilápia moçambicana usa estes sinais para reduzir a violência nos combates. Os cientistas reportam também que os machos ao cheirarem a urina dos dominantes aumentam as suas hormonas sexuais.

João Saraiva, researcher at CCMAR, participates in a pioneering study that aims to improve the conditions and fish welfare in European aquacultures, by giving them legal status.

An innovative study reveals that the adoption of very simple measures of environmental enrichment, which means the introduction of structures to improve the environment in the farming cages, contributes significantly to the welfare of farmed sea bream.

Our researchers delivered a report that identifies key welfare issues regarding the transport of live fish. This study was the basis for a discussion on the regulation of animal transport in the European Parliament.

Our researchers point to environmental enrichment as a key element for the future of aquaculture.

Our resercher João Saraiva will lead a study to provide insight and advice to the European aquaculture stakeholders on the benefits in using the growing knowledge of fish behaviour and ethology in fish production.

For the second year, the Summer Shoal edition was organised by our researchers in Portugal, in the Algarve, where participants focused on an exchange of knowledge and ideas to be implemented in aquaculture.

The report coordinated by our researcher João Saraiva provides insight and advice to the European Commission on how to improve the welfare of aquaculture fish and its production.

Publications

Selected Publications

Arechavala-López PA, Saraiva JL. Welfare Of Cultured And Experimental Fishes. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI; 2019. doi:10.3390/books978-3-03921-711-3

Huntingford F, Kadri S, Saraiva JL. Welfare of cage cultured fish under climate change. In: Climate Change On Diseases And Disorders Of Finfish In Cage Culture, 3Rd Edition. 3rdrd ed. Climate Change on Diseases and Disorders of Finfish in Cage Culture, 3rd edition. CABI; 2023.

Saraiva JL, Arechavala-Lopez P, Sneddon L. Farming fish. In: Routledge Handbook Of Animal Welfare. Routledge Handbook of Animal Welfare. Taylor and Francis; 2022.

Saraiva JL, Arechavala-Lopez P, Sneddon L. Finding the "golden stocking density": a balance between fish welfare and farmers' perspectives. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2022. doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.930221

Saraiva JL, Castanheira MFilipa, Arechavala-López PA, Volstorf J, Studer BHeinzpeter. Domestication and Welfare in Farmed Fish. In: Animal Domestication. Animal Domestication. ; 2018. doi:10.5772/intechopen.77251

Saraiva JL, Arechavala-López PA, Castanheira MF, Volstorf J, Studer BHeinzpeter. A Global Assessment of Welfare in Farmed Fishes: The Fishethobase. Fishes. 2019. doi:10.3390/fishes4020030

Saraiva JL, Arechavala-Lopez P. Welfare of Fish—No Longer the Elephant in the Room. Fishes. 2019;4:39–0. doi:10.3390/fishes4030039

Saraiva JL, Keller-Costa T, Hubbard PC, Rato A, Canario AVM. Chemical diplomacy in male tilapia: urinary signal increases sex hormone and decreases aggression. Scientific Reports. 2017;7(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07558-1

Arechavala-López PA, Diaz-Gil C, Saraiva JL, et al. Effects of structural environmental enrichment on welfare of juvenile seabream (Sparus aurata). Aquaculture Reports. 2019;15. doi:10.1016/j.aqrep.2019.100224

Saraiva JL, Gonçalves DM, Oliveira RF. Environmental modulation of androgen levels and secondary sex characters in two populations of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo. Hormones and Behavior. 2010;57(2):192 - 197. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.10.013

Arechavala-Lopez P, Caballero-Froilán JC, Jiménez-García M, et al. Enriched environments enhance cognition, exploratory behaviour and brain physiological functions of Sparus aurata. Scientific Reports. 2020;10(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-020-68306-6

Arechavala-Lopez P, Cabrera-Alvarez M, Maia CMarques, Saraiva JL. Environmental enrichment in fish aquaculture: a review of fundamental and practical aspects. Reviews in Aquaculture. 2021. doi:10.1111/raq.12620

Publications

Year of Publication
2023	Huntingford F, Kadri S, Saraiva JL. Welfare of cage cultured fish under climate change. In: Climate Change On Diseases And Disorders Of Finfish In Cage Culture, 3Rd Edition. 3rdrd ed. Climate Change on Diseases and Disorders of Finfish in Cage Culture, 3rd edition. CABI; 2023. Read more about Welfare of cage cultured fish under climate change Google Scholar
2022	Saraiva JL, Arechavala-Lopez P, Sneddon L. Farming fish. In: Routledge Handbook Of Animal Welfare. Routledge Handbook of Animal Welfare. Taylor and Francis; 2022. Read more about Farming fish Google Scholar PT
2022	Saraiva JL, Arechavala-Lopez P, Sneddon L. Finding the "golden stocking density": a balance between fish welfare and farmers' perspectives. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2022. doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.930221 Read more about Finding the "golden stocking density": a balance between fish welfare and farmers' perspectives Google Scholar DOI
2022	Oliveira ARita, Cabrera-Álvarez MJ, Soares F, Candeias-Mendes A, Arechavala-Lopez P, Saraiva JL. Effects of Environmental Enrichment on the Welfare of Gilthead Seabream Broodstock. In: Sibic 2022Sibic 2022. SIBIC 2022SIBIC 2022. Basel Switzerland: MDPI; 2022. doi:10.3390/blsf2022013090 Read more about Effects of Environmental Enrichment on the Welfare of Gilthead Seabream Broodstock Google Scholar PT DOI
2022	Cabrera-Álvarez MJ, Oliveira ARita, Soares F, Candeias-Mendes A, Arechavala-Lopez P, Saraiva JL. Husbandry Procedure Effects on Brood-Stock Gilthead Seabream’s Heart Rate Housed under Enriched and Bare Environments. In: Sibic 2022Sibic 2022. SIBIC 2022SIBIC 2022. Basel Switzerland: MDPI; 2022. doi:10.3390/blsf2022013021 Read more about Husbandry Procedure Effects on Brood-Stock Gilthead Seabream’s Heart Rate Housed under Enriched and Bare Environments Google Scholar PT DOI
2021	Arechavala-Lopez P, Cabrera-Alvarez M, Maia CMarques, Saraiva JL. Environmental enrichment in fish aquaculture: a review of fundamental and practical aspects. Reviews in Aquaculture. 2021. doi:10.1111/raq.12620 Read more about Environmental enrichment in fish aquaculture: a review of fundamental and practical aspects Google Scholar DOI
2020	Arechavala-Lopez P, Caballero-Froilán JC, Jiménez-García M, et al. Enriched environments enhance cognition, exploratory behaviour and brain physiological functions of Sparus aurata. Scientific Reports. 2020;10(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-020-68306-6 Read more about Enriched environments enhance cognition, exploratory behaviour and brain physiological functions of Sparus aurata Google Scholar PT DOI
2020	Baduy F, Saraiva JL, Ribeiro F, Canario AVM, Guerreiro PM. Distribution and Risk Assessment of Potential Invasiveness of Australoheros facetus (Jenyns, 1842) in Portugal. Fishes. 2020;5(1). doi:10.3390/fishes5010003 Read more about Distribution and Risk Assessment of Potential Invasiveness of Australoheros facetus (Jenyns, 1842) in Portugal Google Scholar PT DOI
2020	Candela MGimenez, Saraiva JL, Bauer H. The legal protection of farmed fish in Europe – analysing the range of EU legislation and the impact of international animal welfare standards for the fishes in European aquaculture. dA. Derecho Animal (Forum of Animal Law Studies). 2020;11(1). doi:10.5565/rev/da.460 Read more about The legal protection of farmed fish in Europe – analysing the range of EU legislation and the impact of international animal welfare standards for the fishes in European aquaculture Google Scholar PT DOI
2019	Arechavala-López PA, Diaz-Gil C, Saraiva JL, et al. Effects of structural environmental enrichment on welfare of juvenile seabream (Sparus aurata). Aquaculture Reports. 2019;15. doi:10.1016/j.aqrep.2019.100224 Read more about Effects of structural environmental enrichment on welfare of juvenile seabream (Sparus aurata) Google Scholar DOI
2019	Saraiva JL, Arechavala-López PA, Castanheira MF, Volstorf J, Studer BHeinzpeter. A Global Assessment of Welfare in Farmed Fishes: The Fishethobase. Fishes. 2019. doi:10.3390/fishes4020030 Read more about A Global Assessment of Welfare in Farmed Fishes: The Fishethobase Google Scholar PT DOI
2019	Saraiva JL, Arechavala-Lopez P. Welfare of Fish—No Longer the Elephant in the Room. Fishes. 2019;4:39–0. doi:10.3390/fishes4030039 Read more about Welfare of Fish—No Longer the Elephant in the Room Google Scholar PT DOI
2019	Arechavala-López PA, Saraiva JL. Welfare Of Cultured And Experimental Fishes. Basel, Switzerland: MDPI; 2019. doi:10.3390/books978-3-03921-711-3 Read more about Welfare of Cultured and Experimental Fishes Google Scholar PT DOI
2018	Saraiva JL, Castanheira MFilipa, Arechavala-López PA, Volstorf J, Studer BHeinzpeter. Domestication and Welfare in Farmed Fish. In: Animal Domestication. Animal Domestication. ; 2018. doi:10.5772/intechopen.77251 Read more about Domestication and Welfare in Farmed Fish Google Scholar PT DOI
2018	Carecho J, Baduy F, Guerreiro PM, Saraiva JL, Ribeiro F, Veríssimo A. Taxonomic re-evaluation of the non-native cichlid in Portuguese drainages. Fishes in Mediterranean Environments. 2018;2018. doi:10.29094/FiSHMED.2018.001 Read more about Taxonomic re-evaluation of the non-native cichlid in Portuguese drainages Google Scholar DOI
2018	Saraiva JL, Castanheira MF, Arechavala-López PA, Bray P, Studer BHeinzpeter. The CAREFISH project: establishing scientific welfare standards in fish farming certification. 2018. Read more about The CAREFISH project: establishing scientific welfare standards in fish farming certification Google Scholar
2017	Hubbard PC, Baduy F, Saraiva JL, Guerreiro PM, Canario AVM. High olfactory sensitivity to conspecific intestinal fluid in the chameleon cichlid Australoheros facetus : could faeces signal dominance?. Journal of Fish Biology. 2017. doi:10.1111/jfb.13297 Read more about High olfactory sensitivity to conspecific intestinal fluid in the chameleon cichlid Australoheros facetus : could faeces signal dominance? Google Scholar DOI
2017	Baduy F, Canario AVM, Saraiva JL, Guerreiro PM. Critical thermal maximum and minimum in Australoheros facetus, a neo-tropical invader in the Iberian Peninsula. VI Iberian Congress of Ichthyology. 2017. http://www.sibic.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2016.012_Baduy_etal.pdf. Read more about Critical thermal maximum and minimum in Australoheros facetus, a neo-tropical invader in the Iberian Peninsula Google Scholar
2017	Saraiva JL, Keller-Costa T, Hubbard PC, Rato A, Canario AVM. Chemical diplomacy in male tilapia: urinary signal increases sex hormone and decreases aggression. Scientific Reports. 2017;7(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07558-1 Read more about Chemical diplomacy in male tilapia: urinary signal increases sex hormone and decreases aggression Google Scholar DOI
2017	Baduy F, Guerreiro PM, Canario AVM, Saraiva JL. Social organization and endocrine profiles of Australoheros facetus, an exotic freshwater fish in southern Portugal. acta ethologica. 2017;20(3):263 - 277. doi:10.1007/s10211-017-0271-6 Read more about Social organization and endocrine profiles of Australoheros facetus, an exotic freshwater fish in southern Portugal Google Scholar DOI
2016	Baduy F, Saraiva JL, Vargas M, et al. Plastic physiology, social behaviour and endocrine profiles in an invasive cichlid in southern Portugal. Advances in Comparative Endocrinology. 2016;VIII:91-94. Read more about Plastic physiology, social behaviour and endocrine profiles in an invasive cichlid in southern Portugal Google Scholar
2016	Keller-Costa T, Saraiva JL, Hubbard PC, Barata EN, Canario AVM. A Multi-Component Pheromone in the Urine of Dominant Male Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) Reduces Aggression in Rivals. J Chem Ecol. 2016;42(2):173-82. doi:10.1007/s10886-016-0668-0 Read more about A Multi-Component Pheromone in the Urine of Dominant Male Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) Reduces Aggression in Rivals. Google Scholar PubMed DOI
2016	Baduy F, Soares J, Silva M, Canário AVicente M, Saraiva JL, Guerreiro PM. THERMAL ENDURANCE MECHANISMS IN Australoheros facetus, AN INVASIVE FRESHWATER FISH IN PORTUGAL. In: Vi Iberian Congress Of Ichthyology. VI Iberian Congress of Ichthyology. ; 2016. Read more about THERMAL ENDURANCE MECHANISMS IN Australoheros facetus, AN INVASIVE FRESHWATER FISH IN PORTUGAL Google Scholar
2015	Saraiva JL, Martins RS, Hubbard PC, Canario AVM. Lack of evidence for a role of olfaction on first maturation in farmed sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax. Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2015;221:114-9. doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.02.017 Read more about Lack of evidence for a role of olfaction on first maturation in farmed sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax. Google Scholar PubMed DOI
2015	Fagundes T, Simões MG, Saraiva JL, Ros AFH, Gonçalves D, Oliveira RF. Birth date predicts alternative life-history pathways in a fish with sequential reproductive tactics. Grindstaff J, ed. Functional Ecology. 2015;29(12):1533 - 1542. doi:10.1111/1365-2435.12465 Read more about Birth date predicts alternative life-history pathways in a fish with sequential reproductive tactics Google Scholar DOI
2015	Baduy F, Guerreiro PM, Vargas M, Canario AVM, Saraiva JL. Hierarchy formation and hormonal profiles in Australoherus facetus, an invasive freshwater fish in Portugal. Frontiers in Marine Science. 2015;2. doi:10.3389/conf.FMARS.2015.03.00064 Read more about Hierarchy formation and hormonal profiles in Australoherus facetus, an invasive freshwater fish in Portugal. Google Scholar DOI
2014	Churcher AM, Pujolar JMartin, Milan M, et al. Changes in the gene expression profiles of the brains of male European eels (Anguilla anguilla) during sexual maturation. BMC Genomics. 2014;15:799. doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-799 Read more about Changes in the gene expression profiles of the brains of male European eels (Anguilla anguilla) during sexual maturation. Google Scholar PubMed DOI
2014	Campinho MA, Saraiva JL, Florindo C, Power DM. Maternal thyroid hormones are essential for neural development in zebrafish. Mol Endocrinol. 2014;28(7):1136-49. doi:10.1210/me.2014-1032 Read more about Maternal thyroid hormones are essential for neural development in zebrafish. Google Scholar PubMed DOI
2013	Saraiva JL, Gonçalves D, Oliveira RF. Ecological modulation of reproductive behaviour in the peacock blenny: a mini-review. Fish Physiology and Biochemistry. 2013;39(1):85 - 89. doi:10.1007/s10695-012-9658-5 Read more about Ecological modulation of reproductive behaviour in the peacock blenny: a mini-review Google Scholar DOI
2012	Saraiva JL, Pignolo G, Gonçalves D, Oliveira RF. Interpopulational variation of the mating system in the peacock blenny Salaria pavo. acta ethologica. 2012;15(1):25 - 31. doi:10.1007/s10211-011-0104-y Read more about Interpopulational variation of the mating system in the peacock blenny Salaria pavo Google Scholar DOI
2011	Saraiva JL, Gonçalves DM, Simões MG, Oliveira RF. Plasticity in reproductive behaviour in two populations of the peacock blenny. Behaviour. 2011;148(14):1457 - 1472. doi:10.1163/156853911X617089 Read more about Plasticity in reproductive behaviour in two populations of the peacock blenny Google Scholar DOI
2010	Gonçalves D, Saraiva JL, Teles M, Teodósio R, Canario AVM, Oliveira RF. Brain aromatase mRNA expression in two populations of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo with divergent mating systems. Hormones and Behavior. 2010;57(2):155 - 161. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.10.007 Read more about Brain aromatase mRNA expression in two populations of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo with divergent mating systems Google Scholar DOI
2010	Saraiva JL, Gonçalves DM, Oliveira RF. Environmental modulation of androgen levels and secondary sex characters in two populations of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo. Hormones and Behavior. 2010;57(2):192 - 197. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.10.013 Read more about Environmental modulation of androgen levels and secondary sex characters in two populations of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo Google Scholar DOI
2009	Saraiva JL, Barata EN, Canario AVM, Oliveira RF. The effect of nest aggregation on the reproductive behaviour of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo. J Fish Biol. 2009;74(4):754-62. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.02153.x Read more about The effect of nest aggregation on the reproductive behaviour of the peacock blenny Salaria pavo. Google Scholar PubMed DOI
2002	Flores AAV, Saraiva JL, Paula J. SEXUAL MATURITY, REPRODUCTIVE CYCLES, AND JUVENILE RECRUITMENT OF PERISESARMA GUTTATUM (BRACHYURA, SESARMIDAE) AT PONTA RASA MANGROVE SWAMP, INHACA ISLAND, MOZAMBIQUE. Journal of Crustacean Biology. 2002;22(1):143 - 156. doi:10.1651/0278-0372(2002)022[0143:SMRCAJ]2.0.CO;2 Read more about SEXUAL MATURITY, REPRODUCTIVE CYCLES, AND JUVENILE RECRUITMENT OF PERISESARMA GUTTATUM (BRACHYURA, SESARMIDAE) AT PONTA RASA MANGROVE SWAMP, INHACA ISLAND, MOZAMBIQUE Google Scholar DOI

Supervising

Flávia Baduy Vaz da Silva

Galleries

Multimedia

Joao L. Saraiva

Organiza

New book on fish welfare edited by CCMAR researchers

CCMAR organizes intensive fish welfare Course

Summer Shoal for the first time in Portugal

Welfare in farmed fish: towards the next level in aquaculture.

Alexandre Quintanilha é o primeiro convidado de uma série de debates do CCMAR

European Maritime Day 2019

New on Board: João Saraiva

Peixes usam sinais químicos na urina para resolver disputas e excitar rivais

Researchers claim legal protection status for farmed fishes

Study points how to improve the well-being of seabream aquaculture

European Parliament discusses transport of live farmed fish based on CCMAR study

New guide identifies strategies to improve the life of aquaculture fish

European Council commissions study on fish welfare to CCMAR researchers

IV Summer Shoal - a scientific retreat to rethink the present and design the future of fish welfare

Report on Fish Ethology and Welfare published by the Aquaculture Advisory Council

João Saraiva - Seminários do CCMAR: the FishEthoBase