Farmed Shrimp Bycatch and Welfare: Hidden Costs of Aquaculture

Global shrimp farming produces millions of tonnes of product annually but generates massive bycatch, antibiotic pollution, and significant welfare concerns for both farmed shrimp and co-captured wild species.

Key Facts

Global shrimp production exceeds 5 million tonnes annually from both aquaculture and wild capture, making shrimp the most consumed seafood product worldwide by value
Wild shrimp trawling captures an average of 5 to 15 kg of non-target bycatch for every kg of shrimp harvested, including sea turtles, juvenile fish, and invertebrates
Farmed shrimp are raised in high-density ponds where disease pressure has led to antibiotic use contributing to antimicrobial resistance in producing countries
Shrimp possess nociceptors and show protective behavioral responses to noxious stimuli, though their capacity for subjective suffering remains scientifically debated
Shrimp slaughter practices including live boiling, freezing alive, and bisection have not been assessed for humaneness relative to shrimp nociceptive capacity

Welfare Considerations

Shrimp welfare involves two distinct concerns: the welfare of the billions of shrimp raised or caught for human consumption, and the welfare of the vast numbers of non-target animals injured and killed as bycatch in trawl fisheries. Bycatch species including sea turtles, juvenile finfish, and other invertebrates die or are injured in nets and on sorting decks in enormous numbers. For farmed shrimp, the welfare considerations include crowding stress at high stocking densities, disease outbreaks causing mass mortality, eyestalk ablation (removal of one eye to induce spawning) performed without analgesia, and inhumane slaughter methods. The sheer scale of shrimp production means that even small probabilities of suffering represent significant aggregate welfare impact.

What You Can Do

Reduce shrimp consumption or choose certified sustainable sources that minimize bycatch and welfare harms
Look for MSC or ASC certification when purchasing shrimp, which includes some bycatch reduction standards
Support legislation requiring bycatch reduction devices in shrimp trawl fisheries to reduce sea turtle mortality
Contact major seafood retailers to ask about their shrimp sourcing policies and welfare standards for farmed shrimp
Donate to organizations working on more humane farmed shrimp practices and bycatch reduction technology