Aquatic models in science
Aquatic models are widely used in scientific research. In 2020, over 2 million fish were used in the EU, mainly in applied research, but also in basic research and regulatory applications: they are the 2nd most widely used animal after the mouse. In France, fish come in 3rd place, after mice and rabbits.
RESAMA, a network for optimizing breeding of aquatic species in research
The RESAMA network, operational since 2012 thanks to initial support from CNRS and INRAE, aims above all to optimize the zootechnical and sanitary management of aquatic research animal facilities, while respecting the 3Rs principle. It began its activities by offering zootechnical and health management audits to aquatic model facilities, carried out by pairs of specialists, zootechnicians and veterinarians. The results of these visits were compiled in 2016 (Legendre et al, 2016), providing an overview of the practices and issues encountered. In 2019, more than 40 animal facilities, including abroad, were visited. In line with the network's objectives, several partners have adopted a health monitoring protocol inspired by RESAMA, contributing to the sharing of health analysis data.
Since 2016, RESAMA has also organized annual conference days dealing with animal welfare and the 3Rs in the context of sanitary and zootechnical management. In 2022, the RESAMA project was laureate of a call for projects from the FC3R, for the organization of the 2023 and 2024 Days, sanitary visits to new animal houses and the development of a training module for aquatic models in research.
RESAMA Days 2023
The 6e edition of the RESAMA Days, supported by FC3R, took place in Plouzané, on the outskirts of Brest. The Université de Bretagne Occidentale (UBO), ANSES and Ifremer welcomed 109 professionals (facilities managers, members of animal welfare and ethics committees, wildlife researchers, veterinarians and others) working with aquatic species, offering a forum for reflection on the 3Rs and the major challenges of RESAMA.
This year's sessions were structured around major themes such as the refinement of experimentation practices, the use of aquatic models in research, the presentation of new model species, sanitary approaches, animal houses, and ecology. The 31 oral presentations highlighted a wide range of species, including zebrafish, salmonids, sharks, amphibians and even cephalopods :
- Cephalopods are currently the only invertebrate organisms protected by the European directive (2010/63/EU) regulating the use of animals for scientific purposes. Despite numerous ethological studies, there is no clear benchmark for quantifying the state of well-being of these animals in experiments. Presentations given at RESAMA covered current knowledge on the intelligence and sentience of these animals, tools for assessing their well-being, and recommendations on care and procedures.
- A survey on the rehoming of aquatic species has been launched with a view to forming a Working Group to establish certified channels and validated procedures to promote the rehoming of aquatic animals from laboratories.
- Finally, visits of two major breeding facilities, the ANSES fish virology laboratory (VIMEP) and the Ifremer breeding facility in Plouzané, provided an insight into the challenges and major scientific advances in which these facilities are involved. The integration of the 3Rs into these structures was the common thread running through these visits.
Outlook
The RESAMA network, with its 10-member board of directors covering a wide range of species, orchestrates major actions in collaboration with its partners, whose active participation it encourages. With currently over 850 contacts within the scientific community working with aquatic animals, the network is constantly growing, as shown by the recent integration of the community working on aquatic wildlife. The annual RESAMA Days aim to federate the scientific community working with aquatic animals around best practices and the 3Rs, and will be held throughout mainland France, to encourage exchange and progress in this crucial field of research.