Infectious disease is the leading cause of mortality and welfare compromise in shrimp aquaculture, and biosecurity measures that prevent disease serve both production and welfare interests.
Disease outbreaks in shrimp ponds represent some of the most severe welfare events in aquaculture, with mass mortalities occurring rapidly under conditions of physiological stress and immune suppression. Prevention through biosecurity, water quality management, and genetically disease-resistant stocks serves welfare by avoiding the suffering associated with infectious disease. The shift toward specific pathogen-free systems and away from antibiotic dependence aligns welfare improvement with sustainable production goals, making disease prevention a genuine win-win for producers and animals.