Aquaculture

Farmed Prawn Population Genetics Welfare

Genetic diversity in farmed prawn populations affects disease resistance and adaptive capacity, with implications for welfare in changing production conditions.

Key Facts

Commercial Litopenaeus vannamei farming is dominated by a few genetic lines
Reduced genetic diversity increases vulnerability to novel disease pathogens
Specific pathogen-free (SPF) selection has improved some production traits while reducing diversity
Maintaining genetic diversity alongside production improvement requires active management
Wild genetic diversity conservation provides future breeding material for adaptation

Welfare Considerations

Genetic diversity is a welfare resource in prawn populations. Genetically uniform populations are more vulnerable to disease epidemics that cause mass mortality. Maintaining genetic diversity alongside production improvement is both a welfare and a long-term production strategy. The relationship between genetics and welfare is especially important as climate change and novel diseases create new challenges.

What You Can Do

Support aquaculture organisations investing in genetic diversity management
Advocate for genetic diversity requirements in prawn welfare certification
Choose shrimp from farms using disease-resistant lines developed with welfare consideration