Aquatic Animal Welfare

The first part of the course deal with legislations and regulations in animal experimentation and which types of experiments are under the Animal welfare act and the legislations and regulations which apply to the hold of live fish and decapods. The biological part of the course includes lectures on pain perception, stressors and stress responses, health and welfare, anaesthesia/immobilisation, acclimation, environmental needs and tagging methods. The course also encompasses seminars in which the various topics in the lectures, including ethical issues and considerations, are discussed. Seminars also include work with experimental design (including the three R¿s) of a given research topic, and compilation of an application to the Norwegian animal research authority on the same research topic. Finally the course includes a one day excursion to the research station in Kårvik for practical demonstrations of experiment preparation, fish handling, blood sampling, anesthesia etc.

The course is mandatory for researchers who carry out experiments with aquatic animals (fish and decapoda) and fulfil the Ministry's requirements for researches, category C.

The course should give the students a sufficient knowledge and background for conducting leagal, environmentally safe end ethically acceptable experimental work with live fish and decapods.

Students who has completed the course should:

Know about the legislations and regulations in animal experimentation, including the Animal welfare act (Dyrevelferdsloven) and the Aquaculture management regulation (Akvakulturdriftsforskriften).Know the authorities that maintain legislations and regulations, and how to apply to the Norwegian animal research authority (Forsøksdyrutvalget) for permission to do experiments.Have a sound and respectful attitude to the ethical aspects of working with live animal

Have sufficient knowledge about relevant and important aspects of fish and decapode biology, including pain perception, stressors and stress responses, health and welfare, anaesthesia/immobilisation, acclimation, environmental needs and tagging methods.

If you pass the examination in this course, you will get an reduction in credits (as stated below), if you previously have passed the following courses:

• BIO-3503 Aquatic Animal Welfare 5 stp

Language of instruction and examination