Aquaculture Welfare

Farmed Shrimp Disease Management Welfare

Disease is the primary welfare and economic challenge in shrimp farming. Integrated management approaches protect shrimp health and welfare.

Key Facts

White spot syndrome virus has caused billions of dollars in losses globally
Early mortality syndrome (EMS) has devastated Asian shrimp production
Probiotics and immunostimulants reduce disease susceptibility
Biosecurity and water quality management prevent most major disease events
Specific pathogen free (SPF) broodstock reduces inherited disease risk

Welfare Considerations

Shrimp dying from disease outbreaks suffer the welfare impacts of their specific pathology alongside mass mortality events. Disease prevention through biosecurity, water quality, and SPF broodstock is more welfare-positive than disease response. Given the scale of shrimp farming, disease prevention represents one of the highest-impact welfare interventions available.

What You Can Do

Support shrimp certification with rigorous disease management requirements
Advocate for welfare-positive disease prevention standards in aquaculture
Choose shrimp from SPF-certified production systems
Support research into disease-resistant shrimp genetics