Shrimp and Prawn Welfare in Global Fisheries

Wild-caught shrimp and prawn fisheries generate enormous bycatch and welfare harm alongside the target catch.

Key Facts

Shrimp trawling produces 5-20 kg of bycatch for every 1 kg of shrimp landed
Turtle excluder devices are required in some fisheries but not globally
Shrimp trawlers drag heavy nets across seafloor habitat, damaging benthic ecosystems
Wild-caught shrimp is less welfare-problematic in individual shrimp terms than farmed shrimp
Some fisheries use selective gear that dramatically reduces bycatch while maintaining shrimp catch

Welfare Considerations

Wild-caught shrimp fisheries cause welfare harm through both target species mortality — shrimp die during trawling and hauling — and massive bycatch of non-target species including sea turtles, juvenile fish, and other marine animals. The scale of bycatch from shrimp trawling exceeds that of most other fisheries per unit of target catch. Selective gear modifications can reduce bycatch by over 80% in some cases, and mandatory adoption of these technologies represents a significant achievable welfare improvement.

What You Can Do

Choose certified sustainable shrimp with bycatch reduction requirements
Advocate for mandatory turtle excluder devices and bycatch reduction technology globally
Reduce shrimp consumption from trawl fisheries without bycatch certification
Support research and development of selective shrimp capture gear
Donate to ocean conservation organizations working on shrimp trawl bycatch reduction