Biofloc technology is increasingly used in intensive shrimp aquaculture as a sustainable production method, but its welfare implications for stocked animals require assessment alongside its environmental benefits.
Biofloc aquaculture represents an interesting case study in the relationship between environmental sustainability and animal welfare. The system reduces water exchange, minimises environmental impact, and converts waste into feed — genuine environmental benefits. However, the high stocking densities enabled by biofloc systems create welfare challenges related to crowding stress, resource competition, and the acute welfare risk of water quality crashes. From a welfare perspective, the question is whether the improved water quality management that biofloc requires results in better day-to-day welfare outcomes for shrimp despite higher densities, or whether the crowding stress dominates the welfare picture. Research specifically addressing shrimp welfare indicators in biofloc versus conventional systems would help answer this question. In the absence of clear evidence, the precautionary principle suggests that welfare assessment should accompany the sustainability assessment of any novel aquaculture system.