Shrimp are farmed in vast numbers under conditions that raise welfare concerns, with growing scientific evidence suggesting they can experience pain and stress.
Shrimp welfare was long dismissed due to assumptions about invertebrate nervous systems, but accumulating evidence suggests decapod crustaceans can suffer. Eyestalk ablation is a particularly painful routine procedure. The scale of shrimp production means welfare improvements could benefit an enormous number of animals even if the evidence remains probabilistic.