How high standards are maintained on fish farms
Fish farms in New Zealand use a variety of tools to maintain high standards of fish health and welfare.
MPI is responsible for regulating some of these tools and for enforcing animal welfare. In our work with the aquaculture sector, we also encourage:
- excellent fish husbandry
- responsible use of veterinary medicines
- the use of breeding programs
- effective biosecurity measures on fish farms
- humane harvesting
- regular visits from fish veterinarians.
Legislation, regulations, and standards for farmed fish
MPI uses legislation to set the standards for care, handling, and management of farmed fish. People in charge of animals, including farmed fish, must comply with:
- the Animal Welfare Act 1999: This legislation recognises fish as sentient beings and mandates that their physical, health, and behavioural needs must be met
- codes of animal welfare: While there is currently no code of welfare specific to farmed fish, relevant provisions are included in the Code of Welfare for Commercial Slaughter and the Code of Welfare for Transport within New Zealand
- Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations: These regulations provide standards for animal care and procedures.
Find out more
The Animal Welfare Act 1999 – NZ Legislation
Code of Welfare for Commercial Slaughter [PDF, 611 KB]
Code of Welfare for Transport within New Zealand [PDF, 535 KB]
Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations
Fish husbandry is essential for fish wellbeing
Fish farmers use a range of practices to ensure their fish are healthy, for example:
- providing fish with balanced nutrition
- monitoring fish health and behaviour
- applying biosecurity measures to prevent disease
- monitoring and responding to environmental conditions.
Using veterinary medicines on farmed fish
In New Zealand, veterinary medicines must be prescribed by a veterinarian before being used on farmed fish. Veterinary medicines in New Zealand are regulated by the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) Act 1997
Vaccination helps to provide resistance to diseases
Vaccines can play a role in:
- maintaining animal health and welfare
- building immunity against disease
- supporting biosecurity by reducing the risk of disease transmission.
MPI's guidelines for infection prevention and control in the animal sector emphasise the role of vaccination in reducing disease transmission.
MPI's animal and plant sector infection prevention and control policy [PDF, 495 KB]
Responsible antibiotic use
Antibiotics may be used on animals, including finfish, to treat or prevent bacterial diseases. They must be used under veterinary guidance and in line with relevant regulations.
We don't allow antibiotics to be used on animals to promote growth. We strictly regulate and restrict the use of antibiotics to prevent antimicrobial resistance.
It's important to observe withholding periods after using antibiotics on animals. A withholding period is the time needed for an animal's body to clear medicine residues to an acceptable level before being consumed by humans. These levels are set by the World Health Organization. This ensures that food from the animal is safe to eat.
How safe levels are set for chemical residues in food
Biosecurity is essential for fish farms
Biosecurity is the exclusion, eradication, or management of the risks posed by pests and diseases.
Effective biosecurity measures are essential to maintain:
- fish health and resilience
- environmental integrity
- food security and quality.
Industry has biosecurity standards for farmed fish. The Government Industry Agreement (GIA) brings government and industry groups together to manage pests and diseases. Aquaculture New Zealand is a member of the GIA.
Biosecurity for aquaculture farmers
Breeding programmes can help to improve fish health and welfare
Fish farmers use breeding programmes for several reasons, including to improve fish health and welfare. These breeding programmes can improve the resilience of farmed fish to disease, and their tolerance to environmental stressors (like changes in water temperature).
The government is also supporting research into breeding fish that are more resilient to climate change, including the Climate Adapted Finfish Research Programme led by Cawthron.
