The Center for Responsible Seafood (TCRS) received a two-year grant totaling USD 1.1 million from Coefficient Giving to support research on animal welfare. The grant will allow TCRS to continue work that was initially funded seven years ago by Open Philanthropy, Coefficient Giving’s former name, by supporting animal welfare research into humane slaughter of fish to minimize pain, fear and stress before and during processing. A key requirement of humane slaughter is a successful stun, which takes effect immediately after harvest of the farmed fish.
Research conducted under an earlier grant revealed that some producers who used stunning methods do not consistently meet this standard across species and processing conditions. With continued funding, TCRS will evaluate novel technologies for humane stunning, including pressure-wave methods and machine-vision-guided laser targeting. The project will also refine remote monitoring systems to help processing plant workers identify fish that may not be sufficiently stunned before slaughter.
Potential use in Future Standards
Researchers from Mississippi State University, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, and Nautilus Collaboration will conduct trials. Findings from these trials will be disseminated through TCRS channels and made available to certification bodies for potential use in future standards.
“A much-appreciated aspect of funding from coefficient giving has been its continuity,” said TCRS president George Chamberlain. “This has allowed TCRS researchers to seamlessly progress from ambiguous behavioral indicators of fish insensibility to definitive EEG measurements revealing shortcomings of current stunning and slaughter systems and the pursuit of novel technologies with potential for greatly improving fish welfare at slaughter.”
Chamberlain began his aquaculture career as a researcher and extension specialist at Texas A&M University in the United States. He later directed aquaculture programs at Ralston Purina International and Monsanto, and he led the development of an integrated shrimp farm in Malaysia. In 2004, he co-founded breeding, nutrition and farming businesses ultimately branded as Kona for Penaeus monodon and Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp in Brunei, Malaysia, and Hawaii. Chamberlain previously served as president of the World Aquaculture Society and assisted in founding the Global Seafood Alliance.
Finding Impactful Solutions
TCRS is focused on finding impactful solutions to environmental, economic and social well-being issues through knowledge sharing, applied research and collaboration. Its track record includes effective programs in areas such as disease management, animal welfare, food safety and the development of an online educational platform.
Known as the Responsible Aquaculture Foundation since 2009, their 2021 transition to The Center for Responsible Seafood formally embraced their work with wild-caught fisheries. While their mission remains the same, they years of global experience have honed their vision. By sharing knowledge and innovation, TCRS strives to advance its vision of a world meeting the critical need for seafood produced through regenerative processes. They are driven by their responsibility to ensure a healthy planet and healthy people.
Their mission is to advance responsible seafood production through our unique global hub for knowledge sharing, enhanced by applied research and collaborative programs. Their vision, they say, “a world meeting the critical need for seafood produced through regenerative processes.”
Cost-Effective, High-Impact Giving
On the other hand, Coefficient Giving is a philanthropic funder and advisor. Since 2014, they’ve directed over USD 4 billion in grants as part of their mission to help others with the resources available to them. They work with a range of donors who share their commitment to cost-effective, high-impact giving. Their founding and most significant partnership are with Good Ventures, for whom they serve as outsourced foundation staff.
They also collaborate with other philanthropists to support their giving, providing research on cause areas and specific giving opportunities, strategic guidance on how to maximize impact, and operational support. “We want to accelerate work with the potential to achieve immense good, and advise others who have the same goal. Since our founding, we’ve devoted significant effort to identifying the areas where philanthropic capital can have the greatest impact and to refining the principles that guide our giving,” they say.
