Animal Care Practices

All Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) science projects involving animals, such as fish and marine mammals, are conducted ethically and humanely. When conducting our research we only use animals when necessary and treat animals used for research with the highest standards of care.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s (DFO) Animal Care Committees (ACC) are mandated to ensure Department-led projects comply with evidence-based guidelines developed by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC). DFO regions designate ACCs that include Departmental researchers, facility managers, animal care technicians, veterinarians, and local community members.

DFO has 9 research facilities that maintain a Good Animal Practice (GAP) accreditation from the CCAC, ensuring that the facilities, and any research conducted at these sites adhere to the CCAC guidelines.

Related links

• Types of CCAC Animal Care Guidelines
• Fish and invertebrate science
• Marine mammal science