Moving beyond minimum harm reduction in shrimp farming to consider whether positive welfare approaches are applicable to crustaceans.
The question of positive welfare for farmed shrimp pushes at the frontier of animal welfare science. The precautionary principle, adopted by UK legislation following a systematic review of crustacean sentience evidence, suggests that shrimp may have welfare-relevant experiences that extend beyond mere avoidance of lethal conditions. If shrimp can experience positive states — however simple — then production systems might be improved not just by harm reduction but by providing conditions that allow positive behavioral expression. Environmental complexity (substrate variety, shelter structures, appropriate social density) benefits shrimp survival, growth, and behavior in ways consistent with positive welfare effects. The field is genuinely uncertain, but the combination of improving evidence and large production numbers argues for serious engagement with positive welfare frameworks for shrimp aquaculture.