Shrimp Welfare in Wild-Capture Fisheries

Wild-caught shrimp from trawl fisheries face welfare concerns from the mechanical trauma of trawling, bycatch mortality, and processing practices that rarely involve stunning before death.

Key Facts

Wild shrimp trawling captures non-target species as bycatch at rates often exceeding the target catch
Trawl nets subject shrimp to compression, abrasion, and oxygen depletion over tow durations of hours
Rapid pressure changes during net hauling may cause physiological stress and internal injury
Processing of wild-caught shrimp typically involves head removal and processing without prior stunning
Bycatch in shrimp trawls includes juvenile fish, sea turtles, and numerous non-target invertebrate species
Turtle excluder devices and bycatch reduction devices have reduced some bycatch impacts in regulated fisheries
Sustainable certification schemes for wild shrimp primarily address bycatch and stock sustainability rather than animal welfare

Welfare Considerations

Wild-caught shrimp experience significant physical trauma during trawling from compression in crowded nets, abrasion against the seafloor, and oxygen depletion as the net fills. If shrimp are sentient - which evidence suggests is plausible - this process causes suffering over the hours of a typical trawl tow. Processing without stunning causes additional suffering. Bycatch species including sea turtles, juvenile fish, and other invertebrates face high mortality in trawl fisheries. The welfare impact of wild shrimp trawling is poorly addressed by current sustainability certification and requires specific welfare attention rather than being subsumed within environmental sustainability concerns.

What You Can Do

Choose farmed shrimp from certified high-welfare sources over wild-caught trawl shrimp where possible
Support certification schemes for wild shrimp that include welfare alongside sustainability criteria
Engage with retailers about including welfare in their wild seafood sourcing standards
Reduce shrimp consumption overall and prioritize highest-welfare available options when you do eat shrimp
Support research into welfare-positive alternatives to trawling for wild shrimp capture
Advocate for regulatory requirements for bycatch reduction devices in all shrimp trawl fisheries
Learn about the welfare and environmental impacts of different shrimp production methods to make informed choices