The European Commission released the Good husbandry practices for aquaculture, a document that provides a non-exhaustive list of general and species-specific good husbandry practices (GHPs) on key topics related to welfare and health in the different production techniques of some European aquaculture species – notably common carp (Cyprinus carpio), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), mussels, and cleaner fish.

The document is intended primarily for aquaculture producers and is therefore designed to be practical and user-friendly. It also distinguishes between practices that are currently implemented by the sector and those related to innovative practices that are still under research, mainly coming from the scientific literature.

The selected GHPs aim to help implement, in a practical way, key legal obligations of operators – and sometimes go beyond the key legal obligations – on animal health and welfare requirements.

The GHPs have been selected from the 27 EU member states as well as from Norway and the UK. It tries to distinguish between practices that are currently implemented by the sector and those related to innovative practices that are still under research, mainly coming from the scientific literature.

These guidelines are part of the implementation of the EU strategic guidelines for a more sustainable and competitive EU aquaculture.

Download the guidelines here.