Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) is the most produced aquaculture species in the world with over 5 million tonnes annually, yet welfare standards for this species remain almost non-existent.
Eyestalk ablation, which removes the eyestalk to induce female spawning, is a painful mutilation performed without anaesthesia on millions of broodstock shrimp annually. High-density crowding, poor water quality, and disease pressure cause chronic stress. The scale of potential suffering is enormous given production volumes. The Shrimp Welfare Project is leading efforts to improve conditions.