Thailand is one of the world's major prawn producers, with black tiger prawn and white-leg shrimp culture facing welfare challenges from disease outbreaks, stocking density, and harvest practices.
Black tiger prawn welfare in Thai intensive systems is compromised by disease-driven mass mortality events, stocking densities that exceed natural behaviour requirements, and harvest practices that cause crowding stress and air exposure. EMS causes rapid internal organ failure affecting the hepatopancreas, with potentially high suffering over the course of the disease. Biosecurity improvements that prevent EMS introduction have simultaneously improved both production outcomes and welfare. Rapid chilling at harvest significantly reduces suffering duration compared to prolonged air exposure during pond draining operations.