Scientific Report On Animal Welfare Aspects Of Husbandry Systems For Farmed Common Carp

The scientific report on the animal welfare aspects of husbandry systems for farmed common carp constitutes the background document to the opinion adopted by the Panel on Animal Health and Welfare on the 22nd of October 2008.The common carp (Cyprinus carpio, Linnaeus 1758), which is by far the species farmed in largest numbers, is a domesticated species that has well adapted to the husbandry systems within which it is reared. In Europe, only two major production systems (monoculture of carp and polyculture of carp) are commonly practised. There are numerous combinations of polyculture with common carp production. Since the species involved are all cyprinids and occupy only slightly different ecological niches in the pond system, they were subjected to the same risk and hazard assessments as carp in monoculture. Consequently, for the purpose of risk assessment, polyculture was considered as an intensive monoculture production system.The various life stages of carp considered are: fertilised eggs and embryos, yolk sac fry, free swimming fry, nursed fry, fingerling, overwintering carp, on-growers, marketable fish, and broodstock.A review of environmental conditions and factors that were identified as possibly affecting the welfare of common carp, Cyprinus carpio, at different life stages has been conducted. These factors are grouped as: abiotic and biotic factors (including behavioural interactions), food and feeding, husbandry and management, genetics, and the impact of disease and disease control measures. It is however important to realise that the environmental conditions are always defined by a range of inter-related factors. While each specific variable is described separately, there are very few occasions in reality where only a single factor is involved in any fish welfare issue relating to environmental conditions. For this reason, only ranges of acceptable levels for the various factors can be given and these should always be considered in the context of the other variables involved.