Hundreds of billions of farmed shrimp are killed annually, yet slaughter methods rarely account for the possibility of shrimp experiencing pain or distress.
The welfare of farmed shrimp is one of the most overlooked issues in food production. Sheer numbers — hundreds of billions killed annually — mean that even small improvements in killing methods could benefit an enormous number of animals. Current evidence suggests shrimp are capable of experiencing nociceptive responses, and conventional slaughter methods subject them to prolonged distress. Electrical stunning followed by rapid killing is technically feasible and increasingly adopted by welfare-conscious producers.