Farmed Shrimp Welfare: High Welfare Standards

Shrimp aquaculture produces over 5 million tonnes annually with growing evidence of shrimp sentience raising welfare concerns at enormous scale.

Key Facts

Global shrimp aquaculture produces over 5 million tonnes annually, primarily in Asia
Penaeid shrimp have centralized nerve ganglia and nociceptors suggesting capacity for pain
High stocking densities cause aggressive interactions, antennae damage, and stress
Ammonia and low oxygen impair gill function and cause avoidance behavior
Eyestalk ablation to induce spawning in female broodstock is a common and painful practice
Acidic carbon dioxide stunning before harvest is increasingly used as a more humane slaughter method
Welfare certification programs like the Shrimp Welfare Project are developing farm standards

Welfare Considerations

The welfare status of shrimp is scientifically uncertain but evidence of nociception and stress responses warrants precautionary concern given the enormous numbers involved. High-density farming causes injury and chronic stress. Eyestalk ablation removes the animal's primary hormone-regulating organ without anesthesia. The Shrimp Welfare Project and similar organizations are working to develop practical, science-based welfare improvements at farm level.

What You Can Do

Support the Shrimp Welfare Project's work developing and promoting shrimp welfare standards
Choose certified shrimp products when welfare-certified options become commercially available
Advocate for research funding into shrimp cognition and pain to resolve scientific uncertainty
Encourage retailers to adopt shrimp sourcing standards that include welfare criteria
Support alternatives to eyestalk ablation in shrimp broodstock management
Engage with the aquaculture industry on adopting precautionary welfare standards given uncertainty