EPI-DOM framework for fish welfare assessment: External and internal indicators for tilapia in aquaculture (2026)

Martínez-Yáñez, R.

Abstract

Introduction: The EPI-DOM framework proposes an applied epidemiological approach to evaluate and manage tilapia welfare in laboratory and production systems, integrating animal-based indicators with risk factors organized into operational domains (management, environment, interaction). Methods: An integrative review (2000–2025) was conducted and analytically structured under the EPI-DOM framework to: (i) classify external and internal indicators and define adverse welfare events (AWE); (ii) organize risk factors within the Management domain; and (iii) link indicators to risk factors through cross-mapping to prioritize interventions. Methodological criteria were incorporated for contextual interpretation of body integrity, physiological and biochemical ranges, harmonization of units/methods (for farms and laboratories), and the design of practical sampling schemes (population-level and sentinel) for farms. Results: The final product is an operational guide that translates dispersed evidence into a replicable welfare assessment system, including domain-based risk matrices, checklists, and preventive/corrective action guidance to identify critical welfare points and support context-specific decision-making. Discussion: EPI-DOM bridges welfare science and applied epidemiology by preserving traceability (indicator–risk–management–intervention), promoting comparability across systems, and allowing operational thresholds and sampling strategies to be adapted to local conditions without compromising methodological consistency. Conclusions: This EPI-DOM–aligned guide provides a dynamic, verifiable framework to support welfare improvement in tilapia, enabling evidence-based decision-making and implementation of good practices in both laboratory and field settings.