Spring Tilapia, then operating under the name Spring Genetics, partnered with Oxford, UK-based animal welfare data consultancy Food Animal Initiative (FAI) to help advance tilapia welfare across the industry. The partnership was aimed at supporting sustainable aquaculture practices, with a particular focus on North America, Central America, and South America, as the tilapia industry works through challenges like disease pressure and climate change.
CEO and Co-Owner Hideyoshi Segovia-Uno called the collaboration a natural fit given his long-standing respect for FAI's work, noting that "welfare is crucial to improving fish performance, alongside genetics, nutrition, and health management." Through the partnership, the team gained access to welfare-focused training as well as FAI's Tilapia Welfare app, a tool built to track essential welfare metrics on the farm.
FAI, which began as an Oxford University project in 2001, has since grown into a global consultancy with welfare expertise spanning multiple sectors, including tilapia, shrimp, and carp aquaculture. FAI Director Murilo Quintiliano said the partnership would open the door to knowledge exchange across the industry, with plans to eventually extend the collaboration into Spanish-speaking countries in Central and South America, building on FAI's existing work in Brazil and beyond.
A note for longtime followers: this partnership was announced under the Spring Genetics name. The company has since rebranded as Spring Tilapia, though the team and the work behind it remain the same.
Read the original coverage on SeafoodSource.