Sparus aurata is a sparid from the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, representing one of the most frequently farmed species in Mediterranean marine finfish aquaculture besides Dicentrarchus labrax. It is mostly cultured in sea cages, to a lesser degree also in tanks, raceways, and ponds. The very low FishEthoScore of Sparus aurata is mainly due to high levels of aggression, needs of substrate, stress under farming conditions, and high levels of deformations. Extensive farming providing substrate could be a remediation for some of the problems and help improve fish welfare. Individual farming strategies with mandatory protocols including continuous monitoring are a major stepping stone towards preventing poor welfare and improving the sustainable production of this species. Further research is needed on current farming conditions as well as home range use and aggregation behaviour in the wild.
For details see: Dossier & WelfareCheck | farm
