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INCAR²Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología, Conocimiento e Innovación · ANID — Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo

STRESS & WELFARE

Stress and Animal Welfare

Research Line 4 (RL4) of the INCAR² Center focuses on understanding how productive and environmental stressors inherent to intensive aquaculture affect fish physiology, welfare, and adaptive capacity, particularly in salmonids.

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TEAM

Team members

FOCUS

Its main contribution is the generation of scientific knowledge and technological tools that support improved animal welfare, enhanced resilience to diseases, and optimized productive performance within a sustainable and ethical aquaculture framework. RL4 addresses the effects of multiple simultaneous stressors—such as temperature, oxygen availability, and stocking density—during early developmental stages, integrating physiological, transcriptomic, epigenetic, and microbiome-based approaches. This comprehensive perspective advances understanding of how farming conditions influence key biological processes, including growth, immune responses, metabolism, and long-term adaptive potential.

RESEARCH LINE

Strategic Objectives

  1. 01

    Characterize physiological and molecular responses induced by single and multiple stressors in teleost fish.

  2. 02

    Evaluate the effects of environmental and epigenetic manipulation on adaptive capacity under productive challenges.

  3. 03

    Develop and validate animal welfare indicators, including non-invasive (behavior, body size, environmental conditions) and invasive (physiological and molecular markers) metrics.

  4. 04

    Identify welfare-related parameters associated with disease control treatments, ensuring treatment efficacy without compromising fish health.

  5. 05

    Analyze responses to key pathogens, such as Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis Virus (IPNV), and to critical processes such as seawater transfer.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Technological Applications and Contribution to Sustainable Aquaculture

The outcomes of RL4 will enable the development of practical solutions for Chilean aquaculture, including:

  1. 01

    Non-invasive methods for monitoring welfare and stress in production systems.

  2. 02

    Epigenetic reprogramming protocols to enhance fish responses to diseases and productive stressors.

  3. 03

    Tools to predict future performance, including growth, immune competence, and metabolic adaptation.

  4. 04

    Welfare protocols during sanitary treatments, supporting responsible and efficient fish health management.

  5. 05

    Transfer of standardized welfare indicators to inform decision-making in both public and private sectors.

OUTLOOK

An aquaculture model that integrates productivity, animal welfare and sustainability

In this way, RL4 of the INCAR² Center contributes to the advancement of an aquaculture model that integrates productivity, animal welfare, and sustainability, aligned with scientific, regulatory, and societal expectations for responsible aquatic food production.

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