Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards celebrate achievements in aquaculture
Tilapia producer Regal Springs, salmon farmer Cermaq and retail giants Marks & Spencer and Albert Heijn were among the winners at the Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards (GFAWA) in Paris today.
The awards, hosted by not-for-profit organisation Compassion in World Farming, recognised 49 winners from over 15 countries for their leadership in improving farm animal welfare and promoting more sustainable supply chains.
Hosted by Deborah Meaden, Compassion’s Patron and sustainable business advocate, the event celebrated businesses whose commitments will positively benefit the lives of over 500 million animals annually.
Swiss-based Regal Springs received the inaugural Aquaculture Innovation Award for its commitment to fish welfare. As a global leader in tilapia production in Indonesia, Honduras, and Mexico, Regal Springs was recognised not only for its social and health initiatives that support local communities but also for its ongoing investment in research and development to promote responsible farming practices. Their pioneering spirit led them to become the first tilapia producer to research, develop, and implement humane electrical stunning methods specifically for tilapia, now applied across their entire production process.
Laurent Develle, EVP Group General Counsel and Head of Corporate Affairs at Regal Springs said: “This is a critical milestone for Regal Springs! Fish welfare is our priority at all stages of the farming process and after three years of hard R&D work we are pleased to receive this award to recognise the hard work of our teams and inspire other fish farmers!”
Albert Heijn, the largest supermarket in the Netherlands, received a Special Recognition Award for establishing an innovative collaboration across its entire supply chain—including feed suppliers, farmers, processors, and retailers—to improve shrimp welfare. They have effectively eliminated the cruel practice of eyestalk ablation – used to increase egg production in breeding shrimp – reduced the stocking density and introduced electrical stunning before slaughter. Their partnership with the Shrimp Welfare Project has been instrumental in developing humane stunning solutions and setting industry standards.
Albert Heijn is the first retail chain in the Netherlands to ban eyestalk ablation in their shrimp supply chain, a policy already in effect for all fresh shrimp and will extend to frozen and processed shrimp by 2025 for which the company received a Special Recognition Award.
A Special Recognition Award for Innovation was also awarded to British retailer Marks & Spencer. In partnership with shrimp producers and supported by FAI Farms, M&S has developed a comprehensive protocol to monitor the health and welfare of shrimp throughout their supply chain. This initiative not only aims to enhance shrimp welfare but also supports scientific research to address knowledge gaps and drive progress. By successfully establishing a shrimp supply chain free from mutilations, they are directly improving welfare standards, and by providing farmers with training and tools, they are advancing all aspects of shrimp welfare across their entire life cycle.
M&S exclusively sources from producers which do not practice eyestalk ablation, making this a core requirement into their Select Farm standards. They have also defined new outcome measures and initiated electric stunning trials, rolling out new stunners and updated harvest protocols. As a result, approximately 300 million shrimp annually will benefit from these advancements.
Cermaq Canada broodstock
Salmon producer Cermaq received a Special Recognition Award for its commitment to humane stunning methods for salmon. It is the second-largest Atlantic salmon producer to adopt a global humane slaughter policy – following Mowi ASA’s commitment in 2022 – which applies to all their farms and operations in Norway, Chile, and Canada, benefiting over 45 million salmon annually.
Henrik Duesund, Global Fish Health Manager Feed & Fish Health Innovation at Cermaq said: “We are honoured to receive a Special Recognition for the work to secure humane slaughter. Cermaq’s goal is to ensure that the animals are treated with respect and care, even in their final moments. We want to acknowledge the work CIWF is doing to bring attention to this important topic.”
Dr Tracey Jones, Global Director for Food Business, Compassion in World Farming concluded: “The geographical diversity, range of species, and the vast number of animals set to benefit from this year’s award winners are truly remarkable. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the winners.
“It’s particularly encouraging to see innovation in aquaculture being recognised this year. Aquaculture species are sentient beings and their welfare is just as important as that of land animals. Recognition of their specific needs is becoming more widely acknowledged and our winners demonstrate that humane slaughter is achievable and that abhorrent practices can be eliminated. We commend the companies leading the charge in driving meaningful changing in this often-overlooked sector.”
Deborah Meaden said: “It’s inspiring to see so many businesses around the world making significant strides in animal welfare and sustainability. These awards shine a light on the growing number of companies dedicated to making positive change, at such a crucial time for farmed animals and the environment. Compassion’s expert Food Business team is uniquely positioned to support companies in transforming the lives of millions of animals and building a food system that is fit for the future.”
