Pre-slaughter handling of farmed prawns involves crowding, air exposure, and temperature shock that likely cause suffering, and improved methods can meaningfully reduce welfare harms at scale.
Prawn pre-slaughter welfare occupies uncertain moral territory because the scientific consensus on prawn sentience is less clear than for larger crustaceans. The precautionary approach — reducing potential suffering even under uncertainty — is appropriate given that the number of farmed prawns is enormous and modest per-animal welfare improvements aggregate to significant welfare gains. Electrical pre-stunning followed by rapid chilling is both technically feasible and consistent with consumer expectations for responsible sourcing, making it a practical target for certification-driven welfare improvement even if the full moral significance of prawn suffering remains uncertain.