Aquaculture

Welfare of Commercially Farmed Prawns in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asian prawn farming supports millions of livelihoods while creating significant welfare concerns from intensive production practices.

Key Facts

Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia together produce over 2 million tonnes of prawns annually
Intensive farming at high densities causes disease outbreaks affecting prawn welfare
Early Mortality Syndrome has devastated prawn farming with significant welfare implications
Eyestalk ablation to accelerate reproduction is standard across Southeast Asian production
Certification schemes including ASC have driven some improvement but welfare criteria remain limited

Welfare Considerations

Southeast Asian prawn farming welfare is improving slowly through certification pressure, but eyestalk ablation, disease-driven crowding stress, and inhumane slaughter remain widespread. The enormous scale of production means even marginal per-animal improvements represent large total welfare gains.

What You Can Do

Support Shrimp Welfare Project partnership with Southeast Asian producers
Choose ASC-certified prawns as a stepping stone toward welfare-specific certification
Advocate for eyestalk ablation bans in ASC and other certification standards
Reduce prawn consumption from uncertified Southeast Asian sources