Attitudes of Chinese aquaculture stakeholders towards live transport and farmed fish welfare, with a focus on the Hunan region

Abstract In China, the world’s largest fish producer, fish are generally transported live from farms to points of sale or processing. However, there is little published literature on live fish transport in China or aquaculture stakeholder attitudes towards fish welfare. This study investigated transport practices within the Chinese freshwater fish industry and opinions around fish welfare among aquaculture stakeholders. Online and face-to-face surveys were conducted with 252 participants from 18 provinces across China, with more than half from Hunan Province. Participants represented the fish production, sales, government, and research sectors. Responses indicated that over 75% of freshwater fish are transported live, generally in compartmented tanks with water-holding systems on purpose-built trucks. Destinations were primarily wholesale markets with journey durations ranging from less than one hour, up to eight hours. Dissolved oxygen, water temperature, and staff experience were reported as the most important factors affecting fish welfare during transport. While over 60% of participants were unaware of the specific term “animal welfare”, three-quarters recognised a link between fish welfare and product quality. A similar proportion acknowledged that fish are sentient, with respondents educated at the tertiary level having greater awareness of, and concern for, fish welfare. As the concept of animal welfare is emerging among aquaculture stakeholders, these findings provide valuable insights into transport practices and opportunities for improving both animal welfare and product quality. The results also contribute to a better understanding of the potential welfare risks to fish during transport in China, especially among Chinese fish welfare researchers.