Aquaculture technology specialist Ace Aquatec has partnered with Shrimp Welfare Project to expand access to humane stunning solutions amongst shrimp producers globally.

The collaboration reflects a growing understanding in the industry around the need to introduce more humane slaughter methods for shrimp, one of the world’s most widely produced aquatic species for human consumption.

Immersion in ice-water slurry remains a common method of slaughter around the world, but concerns are growing that this technique may not sufficiently stun decapods during the slaughter process.

With over 400 billion shrimp farmed each year, Ace Aquatec places a strong focus on their welfare, since they, like any other conscious animal, can feel pain through the harvesting process. Ace Aquatec’s Prawn Humane Stunner Universal (A-HSUTM) provides effective, safe and rapid in-water stunning solutions, stunning the shrimp unconscious in less than a second and reducing handling, and therefore stress.

Shrimp Welfare Project aims to provide 24 shrimp producers across the globe with an electrical stunner, free of charge and on a limited time basis until the end of 2025, provided that they are willing and able to use the devices with some basic requirements. Producers need to be committed to a minimum stun volume of 2,000 metric tonnes per annum and improving welfare practices to the best of their capacity.

Shrimp Welfare Project seeks to accelerate the adoption of electrical stunning for shrimp industry-wide and has so far provided producers in Latin America and Southeast Asia with access to stunning equipment.

Tara McGregor-Woodhams, CSMO at Ace Aquatec said, “We’re proud to be collaborating with Shrimp Welfare Project to further our mutual goal of making humane stunning solutions accessible to shrimp farmers everywhere. With evidence pointing to shrimps’ sentience, and their sensitivity to inadequate slaughter methods, there’s an acute need to revolutionize shrimp slaughter processes globally. This partnership is taking steps to address the issue on an industry-wide scale, and we hope to expand it further in the coming months and years.”

Krzysztof Wojtas, head of Programmes at Shrimp Welfare Project added, “We are excited to partner with Ace Aquatec. Humane slaughter of animals is crucial for maintaining good welfare throughout the entire process. We are keen to actively collaborate with the shrimp farming industry and support them in making the transition towards humane slaughter. This partnership is a significant step in advancing our mission, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on shrimp welfare globally.”