Shrimp farming produces over 5 million tonnes annually — welfare consideration is minimal despite growing evidence of sentience.
Shrimp welfare represents one of the largest welfare gaps in aquaculture. The sheer number of animals involved — potentially hundreds of billions of individuals annually — means that even a small probability of sentience creates enormous welfare stakes. Eyestalk ablation involves removing or damaging the eyestalks of female broodstock to stimulate reproduction — a procedure performed without analgesia that may cause significant pain. Stocking densities in intensive farms can exceed natural densities by many orders of magnitude. The Shrimp Welfare Project is one of the few organizations focused on this neglected area.