The Open Philanthropy Project recommended a grant of $435,000 over two years to the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) via the Responsible Aquaculture Foundation to develop best practices and proposed animal welfare standards for three farmed fish species. This grant falls within Open Philanthropy's work on farm animal welfare.
GAA will seek to identify welfare best practices for salmonids, tilapia, and channel catfish by reviewing existing research, surveying commercial practices, and conducting lab and field trials for validation. If best practices are successfully identified, GAA will share these with industry leaders at its annual meeting, and propose them for inclusion in the Best Aquaculture Practices Standards, a large and influential aquaculture certification program. GAA intends to use these funds for expenses related to field and lab trials, the creation of online animal welfare modules for producers, conference attendance, travel, and project administration.