Water quality management in shrimp aquaculture significantly affects shrimp health and welfare. Poor water quality causes stress, disease, and mortality at massive scale in global shrimp farms.
The welfare case for water quality management in shrimp aquaculture rests on the same evidence base as for fish — shrimp show nociceptive responses and stress indicators that correlate with water quality parameters. Hypoxic conditions cause distress behaviour, and chronic suboptimal water quality impairs immune function and increases disease susceptibility. EMS outbreaks cause mass mortality events involving what may be significant suffering if shrimp have capacity for nociception. Improving water quality management simultaneously improves production outcomes and reduces potential welfare costs — making it one of the most tractable welfare improvements available in shrimp aquaculture.