Shrimp are among the most consumed animals globally. Evidence on shrimp sentience and welfare is growing, raising significant questions for the aquaculture industry and consumers.
Shrimp welfare is an area where the science is moving faster than policy and practice. The evidence that shrimp can experience pain-like states is sufficient to justify precautionary welfare measures, yet the industry largely operates without welfare standards. Given the enormous numbers involved — hundreds of billions of farmed shrimp annually — even modest per-animal welfare improvements represent a massive reduction in total suffering. Consumer awareness and regulatory pressure are the primary levers for change.