Training for change: progressing towards a welfare-focused aquaculture sector
May, 2024
Our experience proves the most effective way to positively impact aquatic welfare is to empower farmers. By giving them the right skills, knowledge and tools, they can better observe their fish and accurately identify welfare issues. As FAI’s Aquaculture Program Manager Dr Sara Barrento explains, that’s why delivering high-quality, easy-to-access training is such an important part of our work.
Member of the Spring Genetics team.
Webinar Training with FAI Farms and Spring Genetics - online learning courses
Online training programme
The FAI Academy also hosts a series of free online courses on shrimp, tilapia and grass carp welfare. We want to unlock scientific knowledge and put it in the hands of farmers where it will have the most positive impact; these courses – developed by industry experts using the latest scientific knowledge – let us do that.
The courses look at how to implement better welfare management practices set around the major indicators of environment, nutrition, health and behaviour. As well as being interactive, to facilitate their use across the globe, these courses are available in English, Spanish, Thai, Portuguese and Chinese.
While the courses are of most value to those directly employed in aquaculture – such as farmers, farm managers and technicians – they are available to anyone interested in aquatic welfare. By sharing knowledge more widely to include others, such as vets, teachers, students and supply chain managers, we hope to inspire change in as many individuals as possible - both now and in the future.
Equipping aquaculture professionals with the tools and expertise necessary to prioritise animal welfare paves the way for a more humane and productive aquaculture sector. Online training has an important role to play and with each training session delivered, we’re collectively re-shaping the existing narrative to one where animal welfare is no longer viewed as a burden but the cornerstone of a sustainable aquaculture industry.
To access our free online courses, visit the FAI Academy website. To talk to us about our training offer and resources, contact the FAI training team by emailing: info@fai.academy.
Webinar Training with FAI Farms and Spring Genetics
We want to improve the lives of aquatic species and the farmers caring for them. To enhance and scale up aquatic welfare globally, we take a three-tiered approach. We develop species-specific welfare indicators, create assessment protocols and apps and deliver interactive training. Our training offer features free online courses as well as bespoke, blended learning experiences where we combine live events with flexible, self-paced online training modules.
FAI’s aim is for training to be accessible anywhere in the world and give aquaculture workers the knowledge and skills needed to embrace new ideas and better welfare practices, no matter where they live. By doing so we are improving the quality of life of farmed aquatic species, as well as guiding farmers to develop more productive, sustainable and profitable farming systems.
By empowering farmers in this way, welfare is no longer a burden, but a powerful tool to solve production challenges and secure a more resilient future.
Webinars and workshops
We’ve been at the forefront of driving aquatic welfare globally since 2018 and this wouldn’t be possible without a team of dedicated, aquaculture experts. As well as developing our courses, these experts are on hand to deliver specific in person training workshops and online webinars to our partners in the aquaculture sector.
Based in Miami, Spring Genetics operates a state-of-the-art nucleus of tilapia for breeding and is one of our newest partners to benefit from our peer-to-peer training.
“I’ve long admired FAI’s work and by partnering with them we aim to enhance tilapia welfare across our breeding sites and among our clients,” explains Hideyoshi Segovia-Uno, CEO and Co-owner of Spring Genetics. “Welfare is crucial to improving fish performance, alongside genetics, nutrition, and health management.”
To mark the start of our new partnership, Spring Genetics staff attended an online ‘train the trainers’ workshop delivered by myself and FAI’s Director Murilo Quintiliano. The workshop detailed important tilapia welfare practices by introducing the Tilapia Welfare App, an overview of FAI’s e-learning resources and the benefits of maintaining good tilapia welfare.
Hideyoshi continues: “I wanted our staff to take FAI's 'train the trainers’ course so we can improve the welfare protocols at our breeding nucleus in Miami. But I also want them to train others - spreading valuable knowledge throughout our worldwide client base, from the Americas to Africa and Asia.
“By applying animal welfare protocols learned from FAI's training, we expect our genetics to achieve better performance, benefitting us and our customers. Prioritising animal welfare aligns with our commitment to ensuring the well-being of the fish we breed while simultaneously optimising their productivity and overall performance.”