Postdoctoral Research Fellow

The Post

The Institute of Aquaculture (IoA), Faculty of Natural Sciences is offering a Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) position aimed at validating operational indicators of consciousness in tropical prawns (Penaeus vannamei). This research is part of a wider research project entitled ‘Optimisation and validation of successful stunning practices for tropical prawns (Penaeus vannamei) in commercial farms’ funded by Open Philanthropy.

The farming of decapod crustaceans is a key economic driver in many countries, with production reaching around 9.4 million tonnes (USD 69.3 billion) in 2018. These efforts are currently dominated by the farming of Pacific whiteleg shrimp, Penaeus vannamei, which translates into approximately 167 billion farmed P. vannamei being harvested annually. From a welfare perspective, increasing attention is being paid to decapod crustaceans, which include tropical prawns, lobsters and prawns. While legislation exist for their humane slaughter in several countries our knowledge on the efficacy of stunning protocols prior to dispatching is limited. In this project, we aim at comparing cold shock (widespread commercial practice) against electrical shock as stunning methods in tropical prawn farms located in Central America and Southeast Asia. The project will achieve this by performing a welfare mapping from harvest to slaughter and by measuring a series of operational welfare indicators and animal-based measures associated with distress and poor welfare. More specifically the project objectives are:

Objectives

• To assess the effectiveness of in-water and dry-electrical stunning against current in-situ farming practices (cold shock via slurry ice) from an animal welfare perspective in selected commercial farms
• To map out and quantify welfare challenges in Penaeus vannamei from harvest to slaughter in selected commercial farms upon application of electrical stunning against current in-situ farming practices and measure and identify the most reliable operational welfare indicators (OWIs) during the processes of harvest-stunning-slaughter that can be used commercially
• To analyse product quality after electrical stunning and compare with current industry stunning practices
• To formulate a cost benefit analysis that considers animal welfare, product quality and any commercial risks associated with the implementation of electrical stunning

Description of Duties

• Travel to commercial facilities that are in Central America and Southeast Asia
• Conduct trials in commercial facilities
• Work in aquarium facilities at the University of Stirling
• Work with live and dead prawns in commercial and laboratory facilities
• Maintain and use a system to record neurological activity (like EEG in vertebrates)
• Perform some basic laboratory methods to analyse quality and stress related metabolites
• Analyse data collected in both farm and laboratory-based trials
• Contribute to publications and presentations

Essential Criteria

• PhD in an appropriate discipline, which can include decapod physiology/biology or animal welfare
• Working with aquatic animal species
• Knowledge in stress physiology
• Ability to communicate complex and conceptual ideas to those with limited knowledge and understanding as well as to peers using high level skills and a range of media.
• Developing ability to conduct individual research work, to disseminate results and to prepare research proposals

For further information, including a full description of duties, essential criteria and details on how to apply, please see Vacancy details | University of Stirling

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