A recent study by Rethink Priorities has unveiled unprecedented estimates of the sheer magnitude of shrimp slaughtered annually in the global food system. Decapod crustaceans, encompassing crabs, shrimp, and crayfish, have long been a crucial food source globally. The study raises serious welfare concerns, particularly if these decapods prove to be sentient beings.
The need for comprehensive information on the number of decapods utilized in food production is paramount to understanding the scale of this issue and determining the potential value of intervention for these animals.
The study delves into the estimation of shrimp and prawn numbers farmed and killed annually, revealing alarming figures:
Farmed Shrimp: A Staggering Toll
The study estimates that an astonishing 440 billion farmed shrimp meet their demise each year. This figure, with a 90% subjective confidence interval ranging from 300 billion to 620 billion, significantly eclipses the numbers of the most commonly farmed vertebrates for food production, namely fishes and chickens.
Farmed Shrimp Population: Unprecedented Numbers
At any given moment, a staggering 230 billion shrimp are alive on farms, surpassing all known estimates for farmed animals to date, including insects.
Wild Shrimp Slaughter: A Startling Revelation
The study further uncovers the direct impact of human activity on wild shrimp populations, estimating a colossal 25 trillion wild shrimp slaughtered annually. This figure, with a 90% subjective confidence interval ranging from 6.5 trillion to 66 trillion, underscores the vast majority of animals directly killed by humans for food production.
Scale of the Shrimp Dilemma
At present, the issue of shrimp production exceeds the scale of other pressing animal welfare concerns, including insect farming, fish captures, or the farming of any vertebrate for human consumption. Despite a weaker case for shrimp sentience compared to vertebrates and other decapods, the expected value of addressing shrimp and prawn welfare may surpass that of helping other animals.
In light of these revelations, the study urges a critical re-evaluation of our approach to shrimp farming, emphasizing the urgent need for further research into decapod sentience and the implementation of measures to address the substantial welfare concerns associated with the industry.