The Centre for Aquaculture Progress has announced that the Rainbow Trout Operational Welfare Indicator (OWI) Protocol: Ongrowing, Seawater is now live. It is the first in a series of OWI protocols.
The publication is available on the Centre’s website as a downloadable PDF or an online interactive version. It is free and publicly available.
The protocol is the result of months of research and development. The Centre thanked Marco Cerqueira (CCMAR, University of Algarve) for his close collaboration throughout the development of the document. It also acknowledged Jonatan Nilsson and Angelico Madaro (Institute of Marine Research) for their detailed review and contributions. Feedback was also received from other industry stakeholders, including representatives from certification bodies, academia, NGOs and producers.
What are Operational Welfare Indicators?
Operational Welfare Indicators (OWIs) are standardised assessment tools designed for routine use in commercial aquaculture. Unlike some proxy measures, such as plasma cortisol concentrations, which require laboratory analysis, OWIs enable practical on-farm assessment.
The indicators are science-based and designed to be practical, while providing actionable data to support evidence-based management decisions.
What does the protocol include?
The protocol includes:
- 33 OWIs across three categories:
- 14 individual-based indicators
- 5 group-based indicators
- 14 environmental indicators
- Scoring systems for each indicator, divided into four tiers covering levels 0–3
- Reference images and scoring guidance for practical field application
Why is this important?
Rainbow trout, like other teleost fish, are capable of experiencing pain and stress. Ensuring their welfare during production requires systematic monitoring through OWIs.
The increasing focus on OWI implementation reflects priorities shared across the aquaculture value chain, including producers, certification bodies, seafood buyers, consumers, governments and NGOs, and aligns with broader international standards for health monitoring.
By improving welfare outcomes, producers can also achieve better growth, survival, robustness and production efficiency, while meeting regulatory requirements and evolving consumer expectations.
The protocol is intended for farm personnel conducting routine welfare monitoring, as well as other industry professionals, including certification bodies, auditors and buyers. It is designed to align with the welfare monitoring and assessment requirements of key certifications, such as RSPCA Assured and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council.
The protocol can be viewed online or downloaded as PDF here: https://hub.centreforaquacultureprogress.org/owi/trr/ong-sw/1.0/
