Aquaculture

Farmed Shrimp Eyestalk Ablation Welfare

Eyestalk ablation - removing one eye to accelerate reproduction in farmed shrimp - is standard practice in the industry but raises serious welfare concerns.

Key Facts

Eyestalk ablation is used in over 90% of commercial shrimp broodstock worldwide
The procedure involves crushing or removing the eyestalk without anaesthesia
Eyestalk glands produce hormones that suppress reproduction in wild shrimp
Ablation triggers more frequent spawning, increasing production efficiency
Welfare-conscious producers are developing selective breeding alternatives

Welfare Considerations

Shrimp possess nociceptors and show protective behaviours suggesting capacity for pain experience. Eyestalk ablation is an invasive procedure causing acute tissue damage without pain relief. Ablated shrimp show physiological stress responses. The practice persists due to economic pressure despite growing evidence that selective breeding can achieve similar reproductive outcomes without the welfare cost.

What You Can Do

Choose shrimp certified by standards that prohibit or phase out eyestalk ablation
Ask retailers about their shrimp suppliers' ablation policies
Support research into selective breeding alternatives to ablation
Advocate for industry standards bodies to adopt ablation-free requirements
Reduce shrimp consumption or choose traceable certified products