Tiger prawns are farmed in Iran, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia in pond systems, with welfare challenges around water quality management, disease susceptibility, and the absence of welfare standards in rapidly developing regional aquaculture.
Key Facts
Gulf states are developing aquaculture sectors using native tiger prawn species adapted to warm, saline conditions
High summer water temperatures in Gulf ponds frequently exceed optimal ranges, causing thermal stress
Disease management in developing aquaculture systems often relies heavily on prophylactic antibiotic use
Welfare standards for crustacean aquaculture are absent from most Gulf state regulatory frameworks
Welfare Considerations
Tiger prawns in thermally stressed ponds experience physiological stress, elevated mortality, and immune suppression that increases disease vulnerability. Heavy antibiotic use indicates ongoing health failures that welfare measures could address. High-density pond systems create water quality deterioration as production cycles progress, exposing prawns to hypoxic stress. Live transport and slaughter without welfare consideration is standard in regional markets. The rapid development of Gulf aquaculture without welfare frameworks risks establishing intensive production systems with embedded welfare failures.
What You Can Do
Advocate for international aquaculture welfare standards that apply to developing regional sectors
Support FAO capacity building for welfare-aware aquaculture development in Middle Eastern countries
Engage with seafood import standards to include welfare assessments for tiger prawn supply chains
Raise awareness that establishing welfare standards early in sector development is more efficient than retrofitting them later