Aquaculture

Farmed Prawn Indoor RAS Welfare Benefits

Recirculating aquaculture systems for prawn farming offer improved welfare control but present new challenges requiring best practice management.

Key Facts

Indoor RAS for prawns eliminates weather-related temperature stress
Water quality in RAS can be maintained within optimal parameters year-round
Biosecurity is enhanced in closed systems, reducing disease introduction risk
Power failure in RAS causes rapid welfare crisis through oxygen depletion
Higher capital costs of RAS systems require premium markets to justify investment

Welfare Considerations

RAS prawn production offers potential welfare advantages through controlled environment management. Eliminating temperature extremes and improving biosecurity reduces welfare risks. However, system failures are catastrophic, and the technology requires significant expertise. As RAS technology matures for tropical species, its welfare potential may be transformative.

What You Can Do

Support investment in RAS technology research for prawn welfare improvement
Advocate for welfare certification specifically designed for RAS prawn production
Choose RAS prawns from certified facilities with demonstrated welfare protocols