spring 2025
BIO-3503 Aquatic Animal Welfare - 5 ECTS

Type of course

Master course for biology students and masterstudents in fishery science.

The course is compulsory for all students of the Master in Biology program, undertaking experiments on live animals (vertebrates and decapods).

The course is available as a singular course.


Admission requirements

Admission requires a Bachelor`s degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification, with a major in biology of minimum 80 ECTS.

Local admission, application code 9371 - Master`s level singular course.


Course overlap

If you pass the examination in this course, you will get an reduction in credits (as stated below), if you previously have passed the following courses:

BIO-8014 Aquatic Animal Welfare 5 ects

Course content

The first part of the course deals with legislations and regulations in animal experimentation and which types of experiments are under the Animal welfare act and the legislations and regulations which apply to the hold of live fish and decapods. The biological part of the course includes lectures on pain perception, stressors and stress responses, health and welfare, anesthesia/immobilization, acclimation, environmental needs and tagging methods. The course also encompasses seminars in which the various topics in the lectures, including ethical issues and considerations, are discussed. Seminars also include work with experimental design (including the three R's) of a given research topic, and compilation of an application to the Norwegian animal research authority on the same research topic. Finally, the course includes a one day excursion to the research station in Kårvik for practical demonstrations of experiment preparation, fish handling, blood sampling, anesthesia etc.

Recommended prerequisites

BIO-2002 Animal Physiology

Objectives of the course

Objectives of the course" skal første avsnitt erstattes med: "The course is mandatory for researchers who carry out experiments with aquatic animals and follows the minimum requirements implemented in Norway for education and training of researchers.

The course is aiming at providing students with sufficient knowledge and background for conducting legal, environmentally safe end ethically acceptable experimental work with live fish, cephalopods and decapods in Norway.

The course should give the students sufficient knowledge and background for conducting legal, environmentally safe end ethically acceptable experimental work with live fish and decapods in Norway.

Knowledge

After completing the course, the student should have a:

  • thorough knowledge of the legislation and regulations in animal experimentation, including the Animal welfare act (Dyrevelferdsloven) and the aquaculture management regulation (Akvakulturdriftsforskriften)
  • sound understanding of the ethical guidelines for the use of animals in research and develop a respectful attitude while performing experimental work with live animal
  • sufficient knowledge about relevant and important aspects of fish and decapod biology, including pain perception, stressors and stress responses, health and welfare, anesthesia/immobilization, acclimation, environmental needs and tagging methods
  • sound understanding of the welfare indicator tools for assessing fish welfare in aquaculture

Skills

After completing the course, the student should be able to:

  • apply to the Norwegian animal research authority (Forsøksdyrutvalget) for permission to do experiments
  • conduct experimental work in accordance with the "the three R's" (Replace, Reduce, Refine) and the ethical guidelines for the use of animals in research

General competence

After completing the course, the student should have developed:

  • ethically sound attitudes towards animals used in experiments reflecting "the three R's" (Replace, Reduce, Refine) and focusing on fish and decapod welfare
  • understanding of the most important principles for choosing methods for handling and treating fish and decapods; understand the principles behind anesthesia, analgesia and humane killing of lab animals
  • understanding of the general principles and steps for planning animal experiments, including quality control
  • skills to assess welfare via operational and laboratory welfare indicators in aquaculture
  • skills to assess published information on animal experiments

Language of instruction and examination

English

Teaching methods

Lectures and activities at the fish research station in Kårvik.

One day excursion to the research station in Kårvik will include practical demonstrations of experiment preparation, fish handling, blood sampling, anaesthesia, etc.

The necessary safety training will be provided at Kårvik.


Schedule

Examination

Examination: Duration: Grade scale:
School exam 3 Hours Passed / Not Passed

Coursework requirements:

To take an examination, the student must have passed the following coursework requirements:

Obligatory attendance Approved – not approved
Essay Approved – not approved
UiT Exams homepage

  • About the course
  • Campus: Tromsø |
  • ECTS: 5
  • Course code: BIO-3503
  • Tidligere år og semester for dette emnet