With billions of prawns farmed annually, understanding their capacity for suffering and improving welfare standards in aquaculture has major implications for global animal wellbeing.
The welfare of farmed prawns and shrimp has been largely ignored despite growing evidence of their capacity to suffer. Eyestalk ablation — cutting off the eye to stimulate breeding in captive females — is painful and performed without anesthesia on billions of animals annually. Overcrowding creates chronic stress and facilitates disease outbreaks requiring heavy antibiotic use. Water quality degradation leads to hypoxia and physiological distress. Given the scale of production, even modest welfare improvements could reduce suffering for staggering numbers of animals. Consumer pressure and certification schemes are beginning to drive change.