Working with scientists and farmers in Brazil, Thailand, and China, FAI has developed a farmer-led bottom-up approach to improve fish welfare and profitability. FAI’s free-to-use Tilapia Welfare App operationalizes scientifically validated welfare indicators for health, environment, behavior, and nutrition. This allows farmers’ observations to help determine what good welfare for tilapia looks like.

“Who cares the most about tilapia welfare? We believe farmers are the most important factor to drive welfare improvements in aquaculture. Farmers are an untapped force for good whose power can be unleashed through practical farm assessments that align business and welfare objectives,” said Øistein Thorsen, CEO of FAI.

The Tilapia Welfare App integrates well-established animal welfare science into farmers’ daily routines. The app monitors progress and identifies improvement opportunities providing real-time insight to users. The app also provides online training in multiple languages.

“We are now looking for partners, farmers, production companies, hatcheries, and processors, who want to trial the app and start assessing their fish to improve welfare, production outcomes, and profitability. Our experience is that assessments kickstart a positive spiral of improvements,” said Murilo Quintiliano, FAI director.

Through real-time feedback, the Tilapia Welfare App helps tilapia farmers achieve win-win improvements for the benefit of farmers and animals alike. It is designed to be applied by farmers at the hatchery, farm, and slaughter stages in any part of the world.

“I supply tilapia to the local market, and I am using the knowledge from the FAI assessment to reduce losses, secure constant improvements, and stay on track,” said Paolo Tahara, owner of the Brazilian tilapia farm Tahara Pescados and collaborator of the project.

To learn more, visit mytilapia.farm.