As evidence grows for shrimp sentience, developing positive welfare indicators beyond absence of harm is essential for improving conditions in the world's largest crustacean aquaculture industry.
Developing positive welfare indicators for farmed shrimp requires understanding what constitutes a good life for these animals beyond simple survival and absence of disease. Positive welfare indicators might include active foraging behavior, normal social aggregation patterns, successful molting, healthy coloration, and appropriate activity patterns. Negative indicators include lethargy, abnormal swimming, crowding to surface (indicating poor water quality), and high molt failure rates. Water quality parameters — oxygen, ammonia, pH, salinity, temperature — are foundational welfare requirements. Current industry focus on disease prevention and growth rates must expand to incorporate positive welfare metrics.