Interregional Webinar on Aquatic Animal Welfare (Middle East and Asia-Pacific)

Strengthening Awareness and Capacity for the Integration of Aquatic Animal Welfare into Aquaculture Practices and Official Controls

Aquatic animal welfare is now a core pillar of responsible aquaculture and of the international standards that govern it. On 23 July 2026, WOAH Regional Representations for the Middle East and Asia-Pacific will co-host an interregional webinar to strengthen awareness and technical capacity on this rapidly evolving topic, bringing together focal points and stakeholders from both regions in a shared learning exchange.

The Aquatic Middle East Network (AQMENET) is advancing the implementation of its 2025-2028 Work Plan and Capacity Building Programme, building on the outcomes of the AQMENET Steering Committee, Technical Committee and National Focal Points Meeting held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in October 2025. A regional survey conducted under AQMENET identified the need to strengthen awareness and technical capacity on emerging cross-cutting issues affecting sustainable aquaculture development.

Aquatic animal welfare has risen to the top of the agenda. As an essential component of responsible aquaculture practice, animal health management and trade facilitation, it is attracting growing attention from Competent Authorities, international standard-setting bodies, and the private sector alike. WOAH has developed international standards on the welfare of farmed fish during production, transport, stunning and slaughter. Applying these standards generates benefits that extend well beyond welfare outcomes: improved biosecurity, higher product quality, stronger consumer confidence, and expanded market access.

This webinar is among the first capacity-building activities delivered under the AQMENET Training Programme. By bringing together participants from the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, it also marks the beginning of an interregional dialogue on shared challenges and opportunities in aquatic animal welfare governance.

Objectives

General objective

To raise awareness among WOAH Focal Points for Aquatic Animals and animal welfare stakeholders on the importance of aquatic animal welfare and its practical integration into aquaculture systems, veterinary oversight, and official control frameworks.

Specific objectives

• Introduce the WOAH framework and international standards on aquatic animal welfare, including their legal basis and application in national contexts.
• Deepen understanding of the links between animal welfare, animal health, productivity, environmental sustainability, and international trade competitiveness.
• Clarify the role of Competent Authorities and WOAH Focal Points in promoting, monitoring and reporting on aquatic animal welfare.
• Share practical country and territory experiences from the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions, with a focus on lessons applicable to both contexts.
• Encourage the mainstreaming of aquatic animal welfare into national aquaculture policies, inspection systems and capacity building programmes.
• Initiate a sustained interregional dialogue between the Middle East and Asia-Pacific on aquatic animal welfare standards and their implementation.

Provisional Agenda

Expected outcomes

By the end of the webinar, participants will be better equipped to:

• Explain the WOAH standards and ongoing normative work on aquatic animal welfare, and their relevance to national aquaculture systems.
• Apply welfare measures across key points in the aquaculture production chain, from stocking and grow-out through transport, stunning and slaughter.
• Articulate the operational and commercial value of aquatic animal welfare for sustainable production and access to international markets.
• Identify concrete entry points for integrating welfare considerations into official controls, inspection protocols and national capacity building plans.
• Build working relationships with counterparts in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions for future technical exchange and joint learning.

Target participants

• WOAH Delegates, Focal Points for Aquatic Animals and Focal Points for Animal Welfare from the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.
• AQMENET Steering Committee and Technical Committee members.
• WOAH Partners and Collaborating Centres with expertise in aquatic animal health and welfare.
• Aquatic animal health professionals and researchers from both regions.
• Representatives of relevant Competent Authorities with oversight responsibilities in aquaculture and food safety.

Webinar Resources & Materials

Presentation slides, interactive Mentimeter results and the full video recording will be uploaded here following the conclusion of the live webinar on 23 July 2026.

Related pages and resources

• AQMENET – Aquatic Middle East Network
• Aquatic Animal Health – Middle East
• WOAH Aquatic Animal Health Code – Welfare chapters
• WOAH Animal Welfare – global page