By: Ethical Seafood Research
Ethical Seafood Research (ESR), a research-based non-profit working to improve animal welfare in aquatic food systems through science-based, practical solutions, has announced a new partnership with large Kenyan farmed fish producer, Rio Fish, to strengthen animal welfare across its operations and wider producer network.
The collaboration will focus on practical welfare training and monitoring, improved pre-slaughter and slaughter practices and supporting Rio Fish on a pathway towards recognized aquaculture certification.
Through the partnership, ESR will onboard the Rio Fish team onto the FAI Tilapia Welfare App and provide training in welfare monitoring, low-stress handling and recognizing poor welfare using the Five Domains model. ESR will also work with Rio Fish to develop more humane pre-slaughter and slaughter protocols, drawing on knowledge gained through ESR’s Harvest Well project in Egypt.
As a qualified Implementer for the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Improver Programme, ESR will guide Rio Fish towards ASC certification through an Aquaculture Improver Project. This will include a baseline assessment against the ASC Farm Standard, a phased improvement plan with time-bound targets and technical support throughout the process.
Alongside its own tilapia farming operations, Rio Fish aggregates fish from other producers and provides training to farmers, creating opportunities for the knowledge and practices developed through the partnership to reach a wider producer network of 1,500+ farmers.
“Working with Rio Fish is an exciting opportunity for ESR to turn our shared commitment to animal welfare into practical action. From my perspective, this partnership is about building a strong relationship where we can learn from each other, support farmers with practical knowledge and tools, and work together to raise the standard of fish welfare and responsible aquaculture in Kenya. I’m really looking forward to seeing the positive impact we can create together.” said Margaret Omondi, ESR’s Country Manager for Kenya.
“We are very excited about the partnership with Ethical Seafood Research and the opportunity to strengthen animal welfare practices across our operations. At Rio Fish, we believe that building a sustainable aquaculture sector also means ensuring that fish are treated responsibly throughout the production process. We are particularly excited about the training and welfare monitoring support from ESR, as well as the opportunity to work towards the ASC Improver Programme and share the knowledge and practices we develop with the wider network of farmers we work with. We see this as an important step in our journey of continuous improvement and in building a more responsible and sustainable aquaculture industry in Kenya.” added Adrian Odira, Partnerships Officer at Rio Fish.
A key ambition of the collaboration is to ensure that the knowledge and good practices developed through the partnership can reach beyond Rio Fish’s own operations.
As the partnership develops, ESR and Rio Fish will explore opportunities to extend welfare training and good practice to farmers within Rio Fish’s wider network, helping to make practical fish welfare knowledge and tools more accessible to producers.
The partnership will initially run for 24 months, with both organizations reviewing progress at agreed intervals and adapting areas of collaboration as the work develops.
About Ethical Seafood Research
Ethical Seafood Research (ESR) is a research-based non-profit organization working to reduce the suffering of aquatic animals in the food system through science-based, practical welfare improvements. ESR works across the Global South, with a particular focus on Africa, to bridge welfare science and aquaculture practice, collaborating with farmers, industry and other stakeholders to develop approaches that are locally appropriate and practical to implement.
About Rio Fish Limited
Rio Fish Limited is a Kenyan for-profit aquaculture company transforming the fish value chain through sustainable production, value addition, and reliable market access. The company farms tilapia in cages, aggregates fish from other producers and provides training to farmers, giving it reach across a wider producer network.
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