Eyestalk ablation — removing a shrimp eye to induce spawning — is standard in shrimp farming worldwide. The welfare implications of this painful procedure are only recently being seriously examined.
Eyestalk ablation is performed on tens of millions of female shrimp annually and represents one of the clearest welfare interventions available in aquaculture. The procedure is painful — shrimp show protective behavior, reduced feeding, and altered movement patterns after ablation. Alternatives include domesticated broodstock that spawn without ablation, environmental manipulation to trigger spawning, and selective breeding for spontaneous ovulation. These alternatives are commercially viable but require producer investment. Consumer pressure through certification requirements is the most powerful lever for change. The Shrimp Welfare Project has identified eyestalk ablation elimination as a primary focus of its industry engagement work.