Oysters in aquaculture face disease challenges including Bonamia and Haplosporidium infections that cause mass mortality and raise questions about animal welfare.
The welfare status of oysters is uncertain, as they lack a centralized nervous system capable of conscious experience. However, disease events that cause tissue damage and physiological stress in individual oysters deserve consideration under a precautionary welfare framework. More important from a welfare perspective is that oyster mortality events can have cascading effects on reef ecosystem species that do have welfare needs. Native oyster reef restoration supports diverse communities of sentient organisms. Disease management through biosecurity reduces both economic loss and ecosystem disruption.