Pham Van Day

This study investigated the perceptions of AAW among educators (n = 47), students (n = 359), and aquaculture sector stakeholders (n = 34) in key aquaculture regions of South and South-Central Vietnam. Using a mixed-methods survey, perception scores, understanding of core welfare concepts, curricular coverage, and willingness to pay (WTP) for higher-welfare products were assessed. Although perception scores were high across surveyed groups, only 5.57% of students identified most of the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, while 17.0% showed no understanding of welfare. This highlighted a gap between awareness and understanding, leading to the development of the Awareness Depth Gap Framework. A small but statistically significant negative correlation (Kendall–Theil –Sen slope = −0.28, p < 1.25 × 10⁻¹²) indicated that greater AAW curricular inclusion was associated with stronger welfare attitudes. Willingness to pay modest premiums (6–10%) for higher-welfare products increased non-linearly with higher perception scores among educators and students. In contrast, aquaculture sector stakeholders appeared to prioritise economic factors over welfare. These results highlight the need for structured AAW curricula and community collaborative education to close knowledge gaps. This study provides the first empirical insights into AAW perceptions across the education and aquaculture sectors in Vietnam.

This study was carried out to investigate the perceptions of aquatic animal welfare (AAW) among educators (n = 47), students (n = 359), and aquaculture sector stakeholders (n = 34) in key aquaculture regions of South and South-Central Vietnam. Using a mixed-methods survey, we assessed perception scores, understanding of core welfare concepts, curricular coverage, and willingness to pay for welfare-friendly products. Although perception scores were high across surveyed groups, only 5.57% of students could identify most of the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare, and 17.0% showed no understanding of welfare, highlighting a gap between awareness and understanding. No significant differences were found by academic major or year, indicating systemic curricular gaps. A small but significant negative correlation (Kendall–Theil Sen slope = –0.28, p < 1.25 × 10⁻¹²) suggests that greater curricular integration of AAW is associated with stronger welfare attitudes. Willingness to pay modest premiums (6–10%) for welfare-friendly products increased non-linearly with higher perception scores among educators and students, while aquaculture sector stakeholders appeared to prioritise economic factors over welfare. Although 88.2% of aquaculture sector stakeholder’s respondents supported curriculum reform and practical training opportunities, few (41.2%) identified formal competency standards for graduates. These results highlight the need for structured AAW curricula, community collaborative education models, and targeted interventions to close awareness understanding gaps. This study provides the first empirical insights into AAW perceptions among key education and aquaculture industry groups in Vietnam, offering a foun-dation for policy-driven curriculum reform to support ethical and sustainable aquaculture.

Background: Alternative materials for antibiotics used in white leg shrimp farming were extensively investigated. The promising effects of plant based extracts in controlling aquaculture diseases has been reported elsewhere. This study was conducted to examine the effect of Solanum procumbens Lour. extract on survival, growth performance, innate immunity and protection against acute hepatopancreas necrosis disease caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VpAHPND) in white leg shrimp. Methods: From March 2021 to September 2021, four difference diets were examined including the supplementation of S. procumbens L. extract at 0.0%, 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5%. After 30 days of culture, the experimental shrimp was examined for survival rate, growth responses, innate immune parameters and mortality as challenged with VpAHPND. Result: The results indicated shrimp fed diets with and without S. procumbens L. extract supplementation showed no significant differences in survival and growth performances. However, the innate immune parameters were likely increased in shrimp fed diets at 1.0% and 1.5% extract supplementation and shrimp fed diets at 1.0% and 1.5% extract supplementation reduced the accumulate mortality of VpAHPND challenged shrimp by 47.6%. S. procumbens L. could be a potential material for enhancing innate immunity of white leg shrimp and can protect shrimp from AHPND infection.

This study aimed to evaluate the growth, survival rate, and resistance to acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) of white leg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) by using Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Pediococcus pentosaceus mixed with feed, and at the same time supplying CNP in a ratio of 15:1:0.1 to the water. As a result, the treatments that shrimp were fed with feed containing lactic acid bacteria (LAB), especially L. plantarum, have increased shrimp growth, total hemocyte cells, granulocyte cells, and hyaline cells significantly (p < 0.05) in comparison to the control group. The supply of CNP to the water has promoted the intensity of V. parahaemolyticus effects on shrimp health and significantly decreased total hemocyte cells, granulocyte cells, and hyaline cells by 30–50% in the period after three days of the challenge, except in L. plantarum treatment, which had only a 20% decrease compared to other treatments. In CNP supplying treatments, the AHPND infected rate and mortality of shrimp were higher than those in other treatments. In summary, the supply of CNP had significantly reduced the shrimp’s immune response and promoted the susceptibility of shrimp to AHPND in both cases of use with and without LAB-containing diets.