AWRN-Funded Workshop on Farmed Invertebrate Welfare
Date: 16/05/2024
LSE, London and Online
Full title of workshop:
Farmed invertebrate welfare: What do we know, and what’s left to find out?
Details:
This workshop is being organised by Andrew Crump (LSE and RVC), Meghan Barrett (California State University and Insect Welfare Research Society) and Amaya Albalat (University of Stirling).
Insect farming and crustacean aquaculture are vital to feed a growing human population. Yet very few welfare standards, codes of good practice, or laws protect invertebrates. Last year, the AWRN hosted an insect farming workshop and an invertebrate sentience breakout group at the Annual Meeting. In both, discussions focused on whether invertebrates are sentient, rather than what their welfare needs might be.
This workshop will be co-hosted by the AWRN and the Insect Welfare Research Society (IWRS), a research society dedicated to understudied invertebrates. Moving beyond the sentience question (Barrett & Fischer 2023), we will discuss the welfare of farmed yellow mealworms, black soldier flies, and tropical prawns. For each, pairs of scientists and industry/NGO representatives will describe what is known about their welfare and highlight evidence gaps. Talks will be followed by Q&A sessions and group discussions.
Registration:
Further information about registration will be added once it is available. An email will be sent to all members of the AWRN once registration is online.
