ISC. 5. Advanced tools for welfare assessment in aquatic animals: Briding physiology and behavior
General Information
Venue: Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales
Dates: July 13-16
Duration: 20h
Field of Knowledge: Biology
Number of places: 16
Course Coordinator: Ismael Jerez Cepa
Coordinator’s email: ismael.jerez@uca.es
Language: English
ECTS recognition is requested
Target Audience: Students and PDI
Course Description
The course “Advanced Tools for Welfare Assessment in Aquatic Animals: Bridging Physiology and Behavior” arises in response to the need to integrate disciplines that have traditionally been separate in order to address animal welfare in modern aquaculture.
The central objective is to train students in the practical application of advanced tools to assess and promote the welfare of fish and cephalopods. Students will not only analyze the ethological and physiological foundations of these animals but also learn to identify objective biomarkers and use remote monitoring technologies to gain a comprehensive understanding of their condition. The course aims to foster critical thinking through the resolution of real-world problems, enabling participants to propose well-founded solutions to welfare challenges in farming or experimental settings.
The program is divided into four strategic blocks, structured into 20 one-hour sessions, progressing from fundamental theory to technical application:
- Ethology and Positive Welfare: Introduces the concept of sentience and affective states, shifting the focus from merely avoiding suffering to promoting positive experiences. This block covers the design of ethograms and the use of digital tools to quantify social hierarchies and behavioral patterns.
- Physiology and New Technologies: Focuses on the stress axis (HPI) and the use of non-invasive biomarkers in mucus and water. Students are also introduced to acoustic telemetry and biologging (acceleration and heart rate sensors) as tools to optimize aquaculture management and detect anomalies early.
- Welfare in Cephalopods: Due to growing scientific interest, a specific block is dedicated to the handling, learning, and stimulus response of octopuses.
- Problem Solving: Application of knowledge in a real study scenario.
Course Objectives
- Analyze the foundations of behavior, ethology, and physiology of key aquatic species, identifying how these factors reflect the animal’s welfare state.
- Become familiar with the main tools and biomarkers currently used in research to objectively monitor animal welfare.
- Apply theoretical knowledge in practice through the use of assessment tools at the Marine Cultures Service (SCI-CM) of the UCA and at ICMAN-CSIC facilities.
- Relate physiological responses to behavioral patterns to gain a comprehensive understanding of welfare in aquatic animals.
- Develop diagnostic and problem-solving skills through group resolution of a problem-based exercise, applying critical thinking to real case studies.
Participant requirements
It is recommended that participants have basic knowledge of aquatic animal biology to ensure they can fully benefit from the sessions. Since the course will be conducted in English, a sufficient level of proficiency is required to follow the classes.
Course Programme
| Time | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 |
| 9:00–10:00 | Session 1 – CCMAR | Session 7 – UCA | Session 16 – ICMAN(G1)
Session 18 – UCA(G2) |
Session 19 – UCA |
| 10:00–11:00 | Session 2 – CCMAR | Session 8 – UCA | Session 16 – ICMAN(G2)
Session 18 – UCA(G1) |
Session 20 – UCA |
| 11:30–12:30 | Session 3 – CCMAR | Session 9 – CCMAR(G1) Session 10 – SCI-CM(G2) |
Session 17 – ICMAN(G1)
Session 13 – SCI-CM(G2) |
Evaluation – UCA |
| 12:30–13:30 | Session 4 – CCMAR | Session 9 – CCMAR(G2)
Session 10 – SCI-CM(G1) |
Session 17 – ICMAN(G2)
Session 13 – SCI-CM(G1) |
Evaluation – UCA |
| 15:00–16:00 | Session 5 – CCMAR | Session 11 – IMEDEA | Session 14 – UCA | |
| 16:00–17:00 | Session 6 – IMEDEA | Session 12 – IMEDEA | Session 15 – UCA |
Instructors: CCMAR (Dr. João L. Saraiva, Dr. María J. Cabrera Álvarez) and IMEDEA (Dr. Pablo Arechavala López)
- Sessions 1 and 2 – THEORETICAL. Foundations of welfare. Definition of animal welfare from the perspective of sentience and affective states in fish. The paradigm shift from merely the absence of suffering to the promotion of positive experiences will be analyzed.
- Sessions 3 and 4 – PRACTICAL. Methodologies for behavior assessment. Direct and indirect observation techniques. Advanced design of species-specific ethograms for aquaculture species and use of digital tools to quantify behavioral patterns such as aggression, space use, and social hierarchies.
- Sessions 5 and 6 – THEORETICAL. Environmental enrichment. New technologies to assess welfare. Application of behavioral ecology to understand welfare in natural environments. The use of electronic sensors and remote monitoring to evaluate behavior without human interference will be detailed.
Instructors: UCA (Dr. Juan Miguel Mancera, Dr. Ismael Jerez Cepa, Ms. Sara Cartan), SCI-CM (Mr. Mariano J. García de Lara), CCMAR (Dr. João L. Saraiva, Dr. María J. Cabrera Álvarez), and IMEDEA (Dr. Pablo Arechavala López)
- Sessions 7 and 8 – THEORETICAL. Physiological perspective and biomarkers. Analysis of the stress axis (hypothalamus–pituitary–interrenal) and metabolic markers. Emphasis on non-invasive biomarkers (in mucus and holding water) to assess the animal’s homeostatic state.
- Sessions 9 and 10 – PRACTICAL. Assessment in aquaculture facilities I. Application of operational indicators in the Marine Culture Service (SCI-CM) tanks with subdivided groups. Students will practice in situ behavioral data collection. The data obtained will be used to transform practical session observations into analyzable quantitative data (CCMAR).
- Sessions 11 and 12 – THEORETICAL. New technologies applied in aquaculture. Technical introduction to acoustic telemetry and biologging (acceleration, depth, and heart rate sensors). Examples will be analyzed, including using telemetry to detect abnormal swimming patterns or optimizing feeding based on the animals’ actual activity rhythm.
- Session 13 – PRACTICAL. Assessment in aquaculture facilities II. Application of operational indicators in SCI-CM tanks with subdivided groups. Students will practice minimally invasive handling protocols and physiological data collection.
- Sessions 14 and 15 – THEORETICAL. Stress mitigation in aquaculture. Use of natural compounds (essential oils and plant extracts) to reduce stress. Oral and inhalation application to improve resilience to high stocking densities, during transport, and for handling.
Instructor: ICMAN-CSIC (Dr. Ignacio Ruiz-Jarabo)
- Sessions 16 and 17 – THEORETICAL-PRACTICAL. Handling and behavior of octopuses. Training will focus on cephalopod handling, observation of learning patterns and response to stimuli, and habitat preference studies. Sessions will be conducted at the ICMAN-CSIC facilities in subdivided groups.
Instructor: UCA (Dr. Ismael Jerez-Cepa)
- Sessions 18, 19, and 20. Cooperative problem-solving exercises. Guided group work in which students critically apply the ethological and physiological tools learned to solve a specific welfare scenario.
- Assessment. Defense of proposals. Oral presentation of solutions to the problem-solving exercise.
Assessment
The evaluation will be continuous, focusing on the practical application of the knowledge acquired. The following instruments will be used:
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Attendance control (20%): A minimum attendance of 80% of the 20 teaching hours is required. Student engagement in practical sessions and the ethical handling of aquatic animals will be assessed.
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Resolution of the cooperative problem-solving exercise (50%): Students, organized in groups, must solve the presented practical case. The task involves designing a comprehensive welfare assessment protocol for a specific scenario.
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Oral presentation and defense (30%): On the last day, during the final two hours, each group will present their conclusions to the responsible instructors.
To pass the course and obtain the certificate/credit recognition, students must demonstrate: technical mastery, integrative ability, communication competence, critical thinking, and teamwork skills.
Teaching Staff
| Arechavala-López, Pablo | IMEDEA – CSIC. Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados |
| Saraiva, Joao L | CCMAR – Universidade do Algarve |
| Cabrera-Álvarez, María J. | CCMAR – Universidade do Algarve |
| Ruiz-Jarabo de la Rocha, Ignacio | ICMAN – CSIC. Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía |
| García de Lara, Mariano J. | UCA – Servicios Centrales de Investigación en Cultivos Marinos – SCICM |
| Mancera Romero, Juan Miguel | Departamento de Biología (UCA) |
| Cartan Moya, Sara | Departamento de Biología (UCA) |
| Jerez-Cepa, Ismael | Departamento de Biología (UCA) |
This course is supported and sponsored by:
Instituto de Investigación Marina (INMAR)
For any questions, please contact the coordinator of this course