It is our assessment for the probability of good welfare in the worst ("Likelihood") and best case scenario ("Potential") and how certain we are based on the number and quality of sources we found ("Certainty"). Please also see the legend on the upper right corner. If you would like to know details for the WelfareScore, please click on it, and you will be transferred to the respective WelfareCheck.

For the taxonomy, we rely on Eschmeyer's catalogue of fishes. Play around with the sorting to find the order by Latin name or common name or by WelfareScore. Do you prefer to know the species with the highest probability for good welfare under minimal farming conditions ("Likelihood")? These species are feeling well even under non-ideal circumstances. If you sort by high-standard farming conditions ("Potential"), you will see the species who thrive when circumstances are as best as they can be given current technologies. Sorting by "Certainty" gives the species for which we found the most and best reliable sources. Use mouse-over on the legend or the WelfareScore to get more information. Also via mouse-over, find highlighted by colour all those species belonging to the same family, order, or class. Collapse branches of the tree with a mouse click to get better orientation.

When we started out with the fair-fish database (formerly FishEthoBase), we wanted to cover the most frequently farmed aquatic species worldwide, which would be around 250, and possibly more. We set out to assess the welfare – and possibilities to improve it – of as many species as possible. Researching a "Dossier", though, and transforming the information into an "Advice" requires around 300-350 hours. We soon realised that it would take us many years to reach this goal.

So, we put "Dossier" and "Advice" on hold and instead created WelfareChecks (formerly Short profiles) that focus on 10 selected criteria important for welfare in aquaculture. Indeed, the productivity steeply rose and contributed to the 90+ aquaculture species we have covered today. The "Dossier" and the "Advice" are not forgotten, though. We are contemplating whether now is the time to go back to them and add more for further species.

Probably, we updated the profile. Check the version number in the head of the page. For more information on the version, see the FAQ about this. Why do we update profiles? Not just do we want to include new research that has come out, but we are continuously developing the database itself. For example, we changed the structure of entries in criteria or we added explanations for scores in the WelfareCheck | farm. And we are always refining our scoring rules.

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In the fair-fish database, when you have chosen a species (either by searching in the search bar or in the species tree), the landing page is an Overview, introducing the most important information to know about the species that we have come across during our literatures search, including common names, images, distribution, habitat and growth characteristics, swimming aspects, reproduction, social behaviour but also handling details. To dive deeper, visit the Dossier where we collect all available ethological findings (and more) on the most important aspects during the life course, both biologically and concerning the habitat. In contrast to the Overview, we present the findings in more detail citing the scientific references.

Depending on whether the species is farmed or wild caught, you will be interested in different branches of the database.

Farm branch

Founded in 2013, the farm branch of the fair-fish database focuses on farmed aquatic species.

Catch branch

Founded in 2022, the catch branch of the fair-fish database focuses on wild-caught aquatic species.

The heart of the farm branch of the fair-fish database is the welfare assessment – or WelfareCheck | farm – resulting in the WelfareScore | farm for each species. The WelfareCheck | farm is a condensed assessment of the species' likelihood and potential for good welfare in aquaculture, based on welfare-related findings for 10 crucial criteria (home range, depth range, migration, reproduction, aggregation, aggression, substrate, stress, malformations, slaughter).

For those species with a Dossier, we conclude to-be-preferred farming conditions in the Advice | farm. They are not meant to be as detailed as a rearing manual but instead, challenge current farming standards and often take the form of what not to do.

In parallel to farm, the main element of the catch branch of the fair-fish database is the welfare assessment – or WelfareCheck | catch – with the WelfareScore | catch for each species caught with a specific catching method. The WelfareCheck | catch, too, is a condensed assessment of the species' likelihood and potential for good welfare – or better yet avoidance of decrease of good welfare – this time in fisheries. We base this on findings on welfare hazards in 10 steps along the catching process (prospection, setting, catching, emersion, release from gear, bycatch avoidance, sorting, discarding, storing, slaughter).

In contrast to the farm profiles, in the catch branch we assess the welfare separately for each method that the focus species is caught with. In the case of a species exclusively caught with one method, there will be one WelfareCheck, whereas in other species, there will be as many WelfareChecks as there are methods to catch the species with.

Summarising our findings of all WelfareChecks | catch for one species in Advice | catch, we conclude which catching method is the least welfare threatening for this species and which changes to the gear or the catching process will potentially result in improvements of welfare.

Try mousing over the element you are interested in - oftentimes you will find explanations this way. If not, there will be FAQ on many of the sub-pages with answers to questions that apply to the respective sub-page. If your question is not among those, contact us at ffdb@fair-fish.net.

It's right here! We decided to re-name it to fair-fish database for several reasons. The database has grown beyond dealing purely with ethology, more towards welfare in general – and so much more. Also, the partners fair-fish and FishEthoGroup decided to re-organise their partnership. While maintaining our friendship, we also desire for greater independence. So, the name "fair-fish database" establishes it as a fair-fish endeavour.