Project summary

Estonia’s Animal Protection Act protects mammals and birds, but yet ignores fishes, despite clear scientific consensus on their sentience. The result is no legal standards for housing, handling or slaughter in aquaculture.

Estonia has around 50 fish farms raising over half a million fishes each year, mostly salmon and trout. The numbers are constantly raising and new fish farms are planned. These numbers may seem small, but we are nation of only 1.3 million people.

Over 14 months (1 set-up + 12 delivery + 1 evaluation) we will embed fish welfare into law and public consciousness. We will:

• Publish updated bilingual (EST, ENG) legal-scientific white paper with draft clauses covering welfare standards in aquaculture.

• Secure ≥10 closed-door briefings with parliament members and ministry officials.

• Build a critical mass of supporters via weekly social posts, 12 op-eds, 24 fish-free recipe cards, and seven awareness-day (online) events, all directing supporters to sign a petition to support our goals.

What are this project's goals? How will you achieve them?

Goal 1: Mapping fish-welfare standards

• Key activities: White paper launch; policy briefings; media push

• Output KPI: White paper published in major media outlets (Postimees, Delfi, ERR); ≥10 meetings with policy makers

• Outcome KPI (long-term): Ministry task-force formed to draft standards

• Impact: Stronger legal recognition of animal sentience in Estonia

• Relation: The white paper serves as the foundation for policy change

Goal 2: Shift public narrative

• Key activities: 48 SM posts, 12 op-eds, events on 7 global awareness days, recipe series

• Output KPI: 800 000 reach; 20 000 engagements, 5000 signatures for petition

• Outcome KPI (long-term): Most Estonian people agree that fish deserve legal welfare protections

• Impact: Strengthened public understanding of fish sentience; increased social pressure on policymakers; cultural shift toward recognizing animal welfare as a societal priority

• Relation: Public outreach and media campaigns build awareness and social support, reinforcing the policy change goals

How will this funding be used?

Funding will be used for:

• salaries

• social media marketing

• traditional marketing

• legal counselling

• transport and other running costs

See the details here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YeG9nItq_vAG8Kw-6ND5kUaXkjXg6LdjRHsWyC8qJV0/edit?usp=sharing

We have a realistic budget (55 335 usd) and minimum budget (30 493 usd, 1/3 covered by Loomus at the cost of other projects). Outcomes mentioned in this description are based on the realistic budget. For the minimum budget there are following impacts:

• Less time to write the white paper which will make the paper briefer

• Fewer hours of legal councelling (8 hours compared to 12 hours)

• Less meetings with policy makers (~6-8 meetings compared to 10+)

• Fewer signatures (2500 signatures compared to 5000 signatures)

• Smaller social media reach, engagement and signatures (500 000 reach, 10 000 engagement compared to 800 000 reach; 20 000 engagements)

• Fewer social media posts (36 posts compared to 48 posts)

• Fewer op-eds (8 compared to 12)

Who is on your team? What's your track record on similar projects?

Our team on this project consists of two animal protection professionals:

• Maaja Mäll who has 22 years of experience in animal welfare and rights organizations (MTÜ Loomus, Estonian Society for the Protection of Animals) and long-term experience in different projects in animal protection and other fields.

• Anu Tensing who has 10 years of experience in animal rights and protection organizations (MTÜ Loomus, animal shelter Pesaleidja); long-term media experience as the co-owner and editor-in-chief of Estonian magazine Vegan; and educational background in project management (Specialised Vocational Training Level 5 certification).

In our organization Loomus we have specialists from several fields, incl communication, IT, law, media, leadership.

Our track record:

• Legislative wins – Led the 2026 fur-farm ban (agreed upon in 2021); achieved 2018 wild-animal-circus ban; blocked bow-hunting legalisation three times; policy draft on banning sexual abuse of animals (planned to take effect in 2026).

• Policy research – 2023 fish-law gap analysis shifted official rhetoric from “stock” to “individual animals”; actively responding to legal drafts, submitting feedback, and proposing reforms covering topics like animal transport, hunting, cosmetic and agricultural welfare, and banning zoophilia; Open letters and analyses to raise awareness and pressures decision-makers to prioritize animal welfare in their electoral commitments;

• Coalition power – Member of international networks Eurogroup for Animals, Fur Free Alliance, and Cruelty Free Europe; close ties with Estonian Society for the Protection of Animals and environmental NGOs; founding member of Estonian Animal Advocacy Network; member of Estonian NGO networks of volunteering, communication, and political advocacy.

• Campaign chops – Representing European Citizen Initiatives End The Cage Age, Fur Free Europe, and Save Cruelty Free Cosmetics in Estonia; campaign to ditch plant-milk surcharge (over 300 eateries over Estonia); campaign on the importance of banning sexual acts of animals that led to official statement from the Estonian government; viral exposés on fur farms; engaging Estonian celebrities and fashion designers to support fur farming ban.

• Governance – clear vision, goals, and values; democratic decision-making; volunteer-focused management; trusted partner for policymakers, media, and local and international NGOs.

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails?

We are not concerned about the white paper, because we do not doubt in our capability of delivering the paper. There is an insignificant chance that we do not gain enough signatures (1000 is the minimum for the petition to be sent to the government), but it is very unlikely.

We might get more push back from the industry and politicians, but it will not make the project to fail, but might make achieving our goals longer.

How much money have you raised in the last 12 months, and from where?

• 10,000 euros from global inequality reduction organization Mondo's No Planet B program - protection of the European eel

• 5002 euros from the Estonian Environmental Investment Centre - radio series on environment and animal related topics

• ~15,000 euros of private donations

Unfortunately, due to geopolitical situation and the ongoing inflation in Estonia the possibilities of funding for NGO-s and peoples ability to donate have dropped significantly.

Referrers

• Eurogroup for Animals - Robyn Sahota, Aquatic Animals Project Officer, r.sahota@eurogroupforanimals.org

• Estonian Society for the Protection of Animals - Geit Karurahu, Board Member, geit.karurahu@loomakaitse.ee

• Estonian Fund for Nature - Joonas Plaan, Member of the Management Board, climate programme manager, sustainable fisheries project coordinator and expert, joonas.plaan@elfond.ee