Continuation of research efforts is particularly needed on health and diseases of farmed aquatic organisms (including prevention and mitigation tools and methods), on nutrition issues (including development of alternative tailor-made ingredients and feeds for aquaculture), and on reproduction and breeding which are among the main obstacles in the sustainable development of European aquaculture.

It starts from the moment the animal is intended to be used in procedures, including breeding or keeping for that purpose, and continues until it is humanely killed or otherwise disposed of by the establishment in accordance with Article 9 of Directive 86/609/EEC after the completion of the procedure.

Note: Due to revisions in the method of collecting data, in 1999 the animal use submitted does NOT include those animals used for the breeding of genetically engineered (transgenic/mutant) animals, although those animals used to generate such strains are included.

Research will focus on: development of improved integrated production systems, lower-input farming, organic farming and GMO-based production as well as processing and distribution methods and innovative technologies for safer, nutritious and higher quality food and feed; individual and comparative assessment of safety, quality, environmental impact and competitiveness aspects of different production methods and foodstuffs; improvement of animal husbandry, waste-management and animal welfare from housing to slaughter; application of plant and animal sciences and biotechnologies, including the application of genomics, for the developmen ...[+++]t of higher quality food raw materials and nutritious foods.

Research will focus on: development of improved integrated production systems, lower-input farming, organic farming and GMO-based production as well as processing and distribution methods and innovative technologies for safer, nutritious and higher quality food and feed; individual and comparative assessment of safety, quality, environmental impact and competitiveness aspects of different production methods and foodstuffs; improvement of animal husbandry, waste-management and animal welfare from housing to slaughter; application of plant and animal sciences and biotechnologies, including the application of genomics, for the developmen ...[+++]t of higher quality food raw materials and nutritious foods.

The risk of pecking decreases with the increase of the quality of farming methods such as in extensive systems and when the farming skills and the knowledge by the managers about the risk factors are higher.