Warm water prawns including Pacific white shrimp and black tiger prawn are among the world's most valuable aquaculture products, but are farmed under conditions raising significant welfare concerns in many global supply chains.
Warm water prawn welfare involves both individual and population-level concerns across intensive supply chains. Eyestalk ablation causes acute pain and is an unnecessary procedure that can be replaced with improved broodstock selection in many species. Intensive pond stocking creates stress and disease susceptibility. Growing evidence for decapod sentience strengthens the welfare case for production system reform.