Disease outbreaks in shrimp aquaculture cause massive mortality and welfare harm. Biosecurity measures that prevent disease protect welfare while also serving production interests.
Disease-driven mass mortality in shrimp aquaculture represents a welfare crisis at scale. WSSV infection progresses rapidly from initial infection to mass death within days - affected shrimp show characteristic white spots in the cuticle, reduced feeding, and lethargy before dying in large numbers. The welfare relevance depends on the degree of shrimp sentience, which is uncertain but supported by behavioral evidence of pain-avoidance and stress responses. What is certain is that effective biosecurity prevents the conditions that cause these mass welfare events, and that the economic incentives for biosecurity implementation align with the welfare incentive - making this one of the areas where industry self-interest can drive meaningful welfare improvement.