Abstract:
Decisions made regarding which species to protect under legislation and recommendations are intrinsically based upon whether that animal is sentient and is capable of suffering. Growing scientific evidence has been gathered to understand whether fishes can experience poor welfare states such as pain. The definition of pain will be explored, and research findings presented to demonstrate the ability to detect, react to and experience the negative affective state of pain in fishes. Studies have shown fish have the neural apparatus to detect pain, are adversely affected by a painful event both at the physiological and behavioural level and analgesics (pain-relieving drugs) prevent these changes. Furthermore, when in pain fishes do not show appropriate responses to competing stimuli demonstrating pain takes priority. This has important implications on the treatment and welfare of fishes used by humans in a variety of contexts including catching fish, fish farming, research, companion animals and public aquaria.
Speaker’s Biography:
Dr Lynne Sneddon obtained her Ph.D at Glasgow University studying animal behaviour, physiology and neurobiology in crustaceans. After a postdoctoral position studying weakly electric fish Lynne moved to the Roslin Institute where she began characterising nociceptors in fish for the first time with Dr Mike Gentle. Lynne moved to the University of Liverpool in 2002 on a fellowship where she has used an integrative approach to understand mechanisms of behaviour and specialises in addressing question in aquatic animal welfare. Her work has demonstrated fish are capable of experiencing pain using techniques in neuroanatomy, physiology and molecular biology. In September 2020 Lynne took up a new academic position at Gothenburg University in Sweden where she continues to investigate how the welfare of aquatic animals can be improved.
Website: https://www.gu.se/en/about/find-staff/lynnesneddon
Twitter: @LynneUSneddon
Meeting ID: 953 7732 4205
Zoom link: https://cityu.zoom.us/j/95377324205
Remarks: The seminar will be recorded and shared among JCC staff and students upon request.