Aquaculture

Aquaculture: Shrimp Welfare Emerging Evidence

Shrimp are produced in enormous quantities globally under conditions that may cause significant suffering as evidence for their capacity to experience pain continues to grow.

Key Facts

Global shrimp aquaculture produces over 5 million tonnes annually
Eyestalk ablation is routinely used to induce maturation in broodstock shrimp
Evidence for nociception and learning in shrimp is growing but debated
High stocking densities cause chronic stress and disease susceptibility
Legal recognition of decapod sentience in UK 2022 has not yet affected aquaculture standards

Welfare Considerations

Eyestalk ablation - removing an eye to induce reproduction - is a mutilation causing pain and stress if shrimp are sentient. Growing evidence for decapod sentience means precautionary welfare improvements are warranted. The scale of shrimp production means even small improvements would benefit enormous numbers of animals.

What You Can Do

Reduce consumption of shrimp given welfare uncertainty at production scale
Choose shrimp from welfare-certified sources where available
Advocate for eyestalk ablation to be prohibited in all shrimp aquaculture
Support research into welfare indicators and sentience in decapod crustaceans