Shrimp and prawns are among the most widely farmed and consumed crustaceans globally, with growing evidence for sentience that has significant welfare implications for billions of animals.
Shrimp farming involves multiple welfare challenges. Eyestalk ablation, where one or both eyestalks are removed or crushed to induce gonad maturation, is practiced at most breeding facilities worldwide. This is performed without anesthesia and removes major sensory organs. The practice causes pain based on behavioral and physiological responses. High stocking densities in intensive shrimp farms cause chronic crowding stress, disease susceptibility, and behavioral abnormalities. Harvest methods including ice water immersion may cause pain if shrimp are sentient. The Aquatic Animal Alliance and Shrimp Welfare Project are developing welfare improvement programs for the global shrimp industry. The scale of production means even small welfare improvements per animal have enormous cumulative effects.