This project targets welfare aspects of individual variability fish. Such differences include both behavioural and physiological traits, which are often clustered in separate stress coping styles. These stress coping styles seem to be coupled to fundamental differences in how information is processed. In this project we will develop methods for separating fish with respect to stress coping styles, and investigate how fish with contrasting stress coping styles differs in cognitive evaluation of challenges. Moreover, the neural mechanism separating fish with contrasting stress coping styles will be investigated. The project is part of a large scale collaborative project, funded by the European Commission FP 7 (Cope Well), aiming to establish, evaluate, and further develop, a new scientific framework for the understanding and application of the concept of animal welfare in farmed fish.

The project is coordinated by Havforskningsinstituttet ((IMR), Norway.