Growing evidence that shrimp and other decapod crustaceans have more complex cognitive and nociceptive capacities than previously assumed is reshaping welfare debates in aquaculture and fisheries.
The question of whether shrimp can suffer has shifted from philosophical speculation to scientific enquiry, with a growing body of evidence supporting nociceptive capacity and rudimentary learning in decapods. The LSE review commissioned by the UK government concluded that the balance of evidence supports sentience in decapod crustaceans, leading to their inclusion in animal welfare legislation. This has implications not only for how shrimp are farmed and slaughtered but for how fisheries operate, since wild shrimp are typically killed by immediate freezing, boiling, or mechanical processing. Aquaculture welfare standards are beginning to incorporate stunning requirements, and consumer pressure is supporting the transition to more humane practices.