Course - Introduction to Fish Welfare - BI6005
Introduction to Fish Welfare
New from the academic year 2025/2026
About
About the course
Course content
The course provides an introduction to fish welfare from the individual to the industrial level. The course will provide an increased professional understanding of what provides good fish welfare, how to monitor fish welfare and why this is important. The main focus will be on salmon and trout for the greatest relevance to the aquaculture industry, but other species can be included if relevant.
The course runs over one semester and consists of two parts; an online part and a mandatory session with laboratory exercises. In the online part, a basic introduction to fish welfare and stress physiology will be given. In the mandatory session, there will be a laboratory exercise focusing on stress in salmon.
Topics that will be covered are:
- The natural life history of salmonids and similar fish in aquaculture for increased understanding of the fish's needs through different life stages
- Basic physiology with focus on production, smoltification and how stress affects the fish
- Fish welfare and use of biological sensor technology
- Fish welfare from an industrial perspective with examples from challenges with parasites and strategies for dealing with these
Learning outcome
- Basic knowledge of the life history of salmon in wild salmon and farmed salmon.
- Basic knowledge of the physiology of salmonids, with a focus on production, smoltification and stress.
- Knowledge of the use of welfare indicators as a measure of fish welfare and the use of biological sensor technology.
- Put the knowledge into an industrial perspective using parasites as an example.
Learning methods and activities
Digital teaching and in-person seminar with a laboratory exercise to understand stress in salmon.
Compulsory assignments
- Approved digital course
- Attendance in-person seminar
Further on evaluation
Approved mandatory activity gives access to the digital home exam.
All aids allowed.
In case of fail or valid absence, a new exam can be taken the following semester.
Specific conditions
Admission to a programme of study is required:
- (EVUNV0L)
Recommended previous knowledge
None
Required previous knowledge
None
Subject areas
- Aqua Culture
- Biology
- Marine Biology