Preliminary evaluation of electro stunning technology for farmed Barramundi

The use of humane harvest methods for fish and livestock is increasingly important to consumers and producers. The Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA) identified electro-stunning as a technology of interest to optimise the welfare of the fish while maintaining product quality. This project reviewed all available information to evaluate its potential, and investigated the attitudes of consumers, leading retailers and animal welfare groups to electro-stunning of farmed fish. The project team considered specifications of electro-stunning, the uptake of similar technologies by other aquaculture sectors, how to adapt electro-stunning efficiently into a harvest process for a range of barramundi farm sites, and considered Intellectual Property (IP) and partnering/co-funding options before making recommendations for future R&D into the suitability of the technology for the barramundi industry.