Shrimp are among the most numerically significant farmed animals, with billions produced annually under conditions that raise serious welfare questions regarding density, disease and slaughter.
Shrimp welfare has historically received little attention despite the enormous scale of production. Emerging evidence suggests shrimp have nociception and may experience pain-like states. High-density farming creates conditions favouring disease outbreaks causing mass mortality. Developing welfare standards for shrimp is an important frontier in aquaculture welfare.