Shrimp Welfare Certification Progress

Tracking progress in developing welfare standards for farmed shrimp and their implementation.

Key Facts

Shrimp welfare certification is in early stages compared to salmon, trout, and other species
The Aquaculture Stewardship Council has begun developing shrimp welfare indicators for certification
Key welfare areas under development include stocking density, water quality, and slaughter methods
Shrimp sentience uncertainty creates regulatory challenges but does not eliminate welfare responsibility
Consumer market pressure from retailers with shrimp welfare commitments is driving industry engagement
Some major shrimp-producing countries are developing national welfare guidelines independently of international schemes

Welfare Considerations

Shrimp welfare certification is at an earlier stage of development than for finfish, reflecting both the greater sentience uncertainty and the regulatory complexity of an industry spread across dozens of producing countries with varied governance capacity. Progress is being made: major certification bodies are developing welfare criteria, and some large retailers have made commitments to sourcing shrimp with documented welfare standards. The welfare precautionary principle — that uncertainty about shrimp sentience is not grounds for ignoring potential suffering at scale — provides a principled foundation for continued development of standards, even before sentience questions are fully resolved.

What You Can Do

Support retailers and brands that have committed to shrimp welfare certification and sourcing standards
Advocate for inclusion of shrimp welfare criteria in major aquaculture certification scheme revisions
Engage with the developing welfare science on shrimp sentience to remain informed as standards evolve
Choose shrimp from operations with the most robust certification available, acknowledging current limitations
Support organizations working to develop practical shrimp welfare standards and monitoring tools