The welfare of cultured low trophic aquaculture species in a changing climate

In this project, we are investigating how climate change might impact low trophic species (LTS, e.g., shellfish and sea squirts) in Sweden and will perform a risk assessment. The emphasis will be on the risk to the welfare of LTS and how the industry can adapt to mitigate the risks.

The project's objective is to perform a risk assessment (RA) of Swedish low-trophic aquaculture by following the ISO31000 definition of risk within a DAPSI(W)R(M) framework, within a climate change context. We will focus on how environmental state changes resulting from climate change will create risks to the welfare of LTS and how the industry may adapt to mitigate risks.

The aim of performing an RA on LTS aquaculture is to effectively communicate climate change LTS welfare risks to industry members and ensure rapid and sustainable growth of LTS aquaculture in Sweden without compromising animal welfare. The project will accomplish this aim by producing a prioritized list of recommended risk mitigation strategies along with associated policy suggestions to facilitate them.

Working closely with stakeholders

We will work closely with relevant stakeholders representing the Swedish LTS aquaculture industry members, such as producers (mussels, oysters, and tunicates), authorities, and decision-makers. To facilitate collaboration, we will host two workshops. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need additional information or want to participate in the workshops. During the project, we will create two popular science factsheets that describe the impacts of climate change on LTS aquaculture and how climate change may impact the animal welfare of LTS. These will be shared in stakeholder networks and during outreach events. Within the project, we will also deliver a final report and a scientific publication.