Why welfare in aquaculture is so important to Honduras
October, 2024
Within Central America, the Honduran aquaculture industry comes second only to that of Mexico. It’s seen impressive growth in the last 20 years, production increasing by more than 600% and being valued at more than US$250 million in 2017, makes it an important export commodity. It is also a particularly important employer in rural areas where job opportunities are limited. FAI’s Aquaculture Project Manager and eLearning Lead Sara Barrento describes why all this makes Honduran producers important partners in the drive to improve welfare.
Farmers using the Tilapia Welfare App
FAI is committed to enhancing the wellbeing of all farmed aquatic species, wherever in the world they are produced. And the larger the industry, the greater the opportunity to make a significant impact.
Welfare is still an under-recognised area of aquaculture. FAI is driving improvement in aquatic animal welfare by translating the Five Domains Framework for animal welfare, encompassing nutrition, physical environment, health and behaviour, into a practical approach for farmers.
The Whiteleg shrimp and Nile Tilapia are two prominent species in Honduran aquaculture. As these are species in which FAI specialises, with dedicated welfare training and development available through FAI Academy, as well as our free Tilapia Welfare App and Shrimp Welfare Assessment Framework, we are delighted to be supporting significant players in the Honduran industry.
We believe the shortest path to success is to work directly with farmers to raise their understanding and change their mindset. We therefore welcomed the opportunity to run a two-day welfare-focused training course recently for Grupo Granjas Marinas S.A de C.V (GGM), a Honduran company dedicated to the sustainable production of Pacific white shrimp (Litopeneaus vannamei).
Operating in more than 5,000 hectares and harvesting 18,000 tonnes of white shrimp annually, GGM controls all aspects of its shrimp production in a fully integrated system.
The training formed one of the continuous improvement activities GGM has undertaken within its partnership with global aquaculture company Sea Farms and leading UK retailer M&S to secure a better quality of life for shrimp. Those attending the course represented all parts of the production cycle from farm managers to the feeding and harvesting teams, health and quality assurance staff and wider field workers.
Sara running a workshop in Honduras about fish welfare.
Shrimp farm in Honduras
However, we’FAI’s assessment process and scoring system detailed during the course will help GGM decode its farming data into understandable measures indicating successful production from an animal welfare perspective and, importantly, uses a standardised approach so changes can be tracked over time.
Our free online courses and tools, including the Shrimp Welfare Assessment Framework integration in HydroNeo’s Smart Farm App form part of FAI’s Shrimp Welfare Project, born out of a collaboration with industry partners, scientists and shrimp farms aiming to help farmers monitor and implement welfare improvements.
Our approach to improving tilapia welfare is based on the same principles and it was therefore important to FAI to support Honduran tilapia producers in a similar way.
So, during our visit to Honduras, we also delivered a series of tilapia workshops, and welfare-scored several hundred fish with participants using our Tilapia Welfare App. We deliberately mixed theory and practice during this comprehensive course to help attendees gain a full understanding of welfare assessment.
But why is welfare important to Honduran producers?
The focus on welfare in Honduran aquaculture is not only an ethical imperative but also a strategic advantage for the industry’s future. While demand from consumers and processors for humane and sustainable farming practices grows, producers who invest in improving the quality of life for their shrimp and tilapia also stand to benefit from healthier, more productive animals, leading to enhanced profitability.
Raising and harvesting animals in this way helps to protect important ecosystems, improve food quality and safety, reduce costs and increase profitability. It addresses the ‘3Es’ of a positive whole system approach – economical, ethical and environmental.
With FAI’s expertise, practical tools and hands-on training, Honduran farmers are well-positioned to lead in this evolving sector. By prioritising welfare, they are securing a more sustainable and successful future for both their businesses and the environment.