Shrimp is the most traded seafood globally, with over 5 million tonnes farmed annually. The welfare status of farmed shrimp is contested, but applying the precautionary principle guides better practices.
Farmed shrimp welfare occupies contested scientific territory. The precautionary principle — acting to reduce potential suffering even under uncertainty — provides the most ethically defensible framework. Eyestalk ablation, used to suppress the molt-inhibiting hormone and induce spawning in broodstock females, involves crushing or cutting the eyestalk: a procedure that causes tissue damage and likely pain given shrimp nociceptive capabilities. The practice is widely condemned by welfare scientists. Crowding in intensive ponds creates competition for resources and increases aggressive interactions. Harvest by draining ponds and capture in nets causes acute stress. Certification schemes that prohibit eyestalk ablation and require improved pond management conditions represent meaningful welfare improvements while sentience research continues.