Additional data on protected animals not reported as used within experimental procedures 2021

Cefas conducts applied research using fish which aims to: protect wild populations, biodiversity and the environment; and reduce disease and improve welfare in cultured stocks.

In the UK all scientific work with live protected (sentient) animals which has the potential to cause suffering is regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (Amended Regulations 2012). This regulation, referred to as ASPA, is administered by the Home Office. ASPA requires researchers to minimise animal use and harm, and Establishments to record the “source, use and final disposal of all protected animals bred, kept or used at the establishment for any regulated activities”.

The Home Office requires annual reporting of the numbers of individual animals used in regulated procedures and the severity of the harm they experienced; national Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals are then published. As a signatory of the Concordat on Openness on Animal Research Cefas is committed to openness and transparency and we publish data on our use of animals in regulated procedures.

In 2017, the Home Office also collected “additional data” on the numbers of protected animals bred at Establishments that were humanely killed or died outside regulated procedures so were not reported as used. To be open about our animal research, Cefas has published its “additional data” annually.  The figures for 2017-2021 are tabulated below. Further data on the numbers of fish of farmed and wild origins (i.e., not Establishment-bred) are also included for completeness.

In 2021, there were 7,721 “additional” fish. The majority (99%) were reared in the Establishment specifically for use in research; a minority (1%) were brought in from fish farms; and none were of wild origin. The species reflect their relevance to the applied research we conduct. These additional numbers represent fish after the first-feeding stage:  

• that were humanely killed for welfare reasons, or died during rearing;
• surplus fish associated with rearing batches for experimental use;
• contingency animals reared to ensure suitable numbers for experiments;
• fish that were used to provide samples outside of regulated procedures, i.e. research that did not cause suffering;
• fish sampled to confirm the health status of stocks prior to experimental use.

All fish killed were euthanised in accordance with the ASPA Schedule 1 Appropriate Methods of Humane Killing and were used during mandatory staff training where suitable. 

Cefas’ additional numbers increased from 1,887 in 2020 to 7,721 in 2021.  This was from restoring our in-house production of specific pathogen free common carp after a temporary, COVID-19 related, pause.

Our additional numbers have decreased by 52% since 2017, largely due to reduced laboratory production of salmonid and marine species. Since 2020, as a result of reduced operations using protected animals, Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout are only reared to research requirement rather than maintaining stocks. Rearing and use of marine fish species was suspended following closure of the Lowestoft aquarium, and is yet to be reinstated at Weymouth. The routine production of zebrafish and 3-spined stickleback ceased in 2018 and 2019 respectively. Zebrafish were re-established in 2022 to support new research, and as an ASPA Schedule 2 species,  were sourced from a Licensed breeding Establishment.

Cefas regularly reviews the use and production of animals in relation to anticipated research requirements, at both management and Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB) levels.

Glossary

Protected animal: “All living vertebrates, other than a human, including certain immature forms, and any living cephalopod.” “Larval forms of fish and amphibians are protected animals once they are capable of feeding independently.”

Establishment: “A place holding a licence which has been granted under section 2C of ASPA”

Regulated procedure: “A procedure is regulated if it is carried out on a protected animal for a scientific or educational purpose and may cause that animal a level of pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm equivalent to, or higher than, that caused by inserting a hypodermic needle according to good veterinary practice.”

AWERB: Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body

 

Additional data: the numbers of animals that were killed or died in 2017-2021 but were not reported as regulated procedures. Names according to FAO’s ASFIS List of Species for Fishery Statistics Purposes.

Origin	Common name	Scientific name	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	Annual average
Bred for scientific use	Atlantic salmon	Salmo salar	4,778	2,643	2,235	733	1,498	2,377
	Common carp	Cyprinus carpio	-	1,097	3,970	533	6,052	2,330
	Rainbow trout	Oncorhynchus mykiss	4,482	2,184	2,253	477	59	1,891
	Atlantic cod	Gadus morhua	2,505	-	-	-	-	501
	3-spined stickleback	Gasterosteus aculeatus	680	640	534	144	-	400
	Zebrafish	Danio rerio	826	929	-	-	-	351
	European plaice	Pleuronectes platessa	970	-	-	-	-	194
	Sub-total		14,241	7,493	8,992	1,887	7,609	8,044
	% Total		88%	83%	95%	100%	99%	91%
Farmed	Ballan wrasse	Labrus bergylta	939	812	-	-	-	350
	European seabass	Dicentrarchus labrax	627	167	439	-	-	247
	Turbot	Scophthalmus maximus	81	339	-	-	-	84
	Common carp	Cyprinus carpio	103	29	35	-	-	33
	Lumpfish	Cyclopterus lumpus	-	-	30	-	112	28
	Barbel	Barbus barbus	92	-	-	-	-	18
	Chub	Leuciscus cephalus	92	-	-	-	-	18
	Goldfish	Carassius auratus	-	62	-	-	-	12
	Atlantic salmon	Salmo salar	-	20	-	-		4
	Sub-total		1,934	1,429	504	0	112	796
	% Total		12%	16%	5%	0%	1%	9%
Wild-caught	European plaice	Pleuronectes platessa	35	5	-	-	-	8
	Sandy goby	Pomatoschistus minutus	-	30	-	-	-	6
	Common dab	Limanda limanda	-	27	-	-	-	5
	Atlantic cod	Gadus morhua	6	11	-	-	-	3
	Common sole	Solea solea	7	7	-	-	-	3
	Dragonet	Callionymus lyra	-	7	-	-	-	1
	Thornback ray	Raja clavata	3	-	-	-	-	1
	Shorthorn sculpin	Myoxocephalus scorpius	2	1	-	-	-	1
	European eel	Anguilla anguilla	1	-	-	-	-	0
	Greater pipefish	Syngnathus acus	1	-	-	-	-	0
	Hooknose	Agonus cataphractus	-	1	-	-	-	0
	Three-bearded rockling	Gaidropsarus vulgaris	-	1	-	-	-	0
	Subtotal		55	90	0	0	0	29
	% Total		0.3%	1.0%	0%	0%	0%	0.3%
All	Total		16,230	9,012	9,496	1,887	7,721	8,869