Disease Management and Welfare in Farmed Shrimp

Disease is one of the most significant welfare and economic challenges in shrimp aquaculture, causing mass mortality events and welfare harm to billions of shrimp annually.

Key Facts

White spot syndrome virus has caused billions of dollars of losses in global shrimp production
Disease outbreaks cause mass mortality — sometimes 100% of pond populations — in hours to days
Antibiotic use in shrimp farming contributes to antimicrobial resistance and is a food safety concern
Probiotics, improved water quality management, and biosecurity reduce disease risk more sustainably than antibiotics
SPF (specific pathogen-free) broodstock programmes have reduced some viral disease burdens in certified operations

Welfare Considerations

Disease in farmed shrimp causes welfare harm through the suffering of dying animals and through the stress and immune suppression that precede disease outbreaks. High stocking densities, poor water quality, and inadequate biosecurity create conditions where disease can spread rapidly through entire pond populations. The scale of mass mortality events — millions of shrimp dying in a single pond — is a welfare event of enormous magnitude. Reducing disease through improved management, biosecurity, and genetic resistance is simultaneously a welfare improvement, an economic benefit, and a sustainability improvement — making it one of the most compelling welfare-aligned investments in aquaculture.

What You Can Do

Support certification schemes for farmed shrimp that include disease management and biosecurity standards
Advocate for antibiotic use reduction in shrimp farming through improved biosecurity rather than treatment
Choose certified shrimp from operations with SPF broodstock and documented disease management
Support research into disease-resistant shrimp genetics and non-antibiotic disease management
Engage with shrimp disease as a welfare issue alongside its food safety and economic dimensions