Improving the lives of billions of misunderstood creatures.

How they help animals

Shrimp Welfare Project (SWP) is the first and only organization dedicated exclusively to improving the lives of the 440 billion shrimp farmed each year. This staggering number exceeds five times the total of all farmed land animals combined, making shrimp welfare a cause where people can do an incredible amount of good.

Despite their small size, scientific research has confirmed that shrimp can feel pain. Yet these animals face some of the cruellest farming techniques on Earth — like being slowly suffocated alive during harvest and having their eyestalks crushed while fully conscious. SWP is changing these horrific practices by introducing humane slaughter technology and advocating for less brutal farming methods.

Shrimp aren't particularly charismatic, and so it can be hard to really feel for their plight. But even if they can't make you feel empathy for them, perhaps they can make you feel relaxation?

From Honduras to Vietnam, SWP’s approach is already helping approximately 2.7 billion shrimp annually through growing partnerships with producers and retailers around the world.

SWP pushes for industry adoption of humane slaughter methods and introduces the first welfare policies for farmed shrimp.

SWP pioneers research to identify and address key issues around shrimp well-being in an industry where welfare standards barely exist.

Raising awareness about shrimp welfare through industry conferences, podcasts, and publications, bringing attention to this neglected issue.

Why support them

Your donation goes incredibly far: With just $10, you can help improve the lives of approximately 13,000 shrimp. Few charities can make such a massive difference with so little.

Helping the forgotten animals: Despite their enormous numbers (more than all farmed chickens, cows, and pigs combined), farmed shrimp are almost completely overlooked by animal protection efforts. Your support helps these neglected creatures.

Creating lasting change: Rather than making temporary fixes, SWP works with both retailers and producers to transform industry practices permanently, ensuring better treatment for generations of farmed shrimp.

Pioneering a better future: As the first organization dedicated to shrimp welfare, SWP is establishing the standards and relationships that will shape how billions of these animals are treated for decades to come.

SWP also comes highly recommended by the experts, with Animal Charity Evaluators evaluating them as among the most effective animal charities in the world because of their practical, results-driven approach.

Hear from a donor

Matthew Adelstein
Blogger, Philosophy student, FarmKind donor

“Shrimp are a test of our empathy: They look weird and we don’t naturally empathize with them, but that’s not a reason to ignore their plight. Through SWP, just one dollar can prevent suffering for over 1,000 animals. Having studied their work, I'm convinced this is perhaps the most cost-effective way to reduce suffering in the world. That's why I donate $100 monthly to support their work."

1. Humane Slaughter Initiative
Conventional shrimp harvesting typically involves methods that cause significant suffering–shrimp are often killed through asphyxiation (slowly suffocating in air) or mechanical methods that can crush them, all while they remain fully conscious. Most consumers have no idea this happens, and many producers don't believe there's a financially viable alternative.
SWP takes an unexpected approach to solve this problem: they literally buy and donate electrical stunning equipment to large shrimp producers. By offering free stunners to companies that commit to humanely slaughtering at least 100 million shrimp annually, SWP removes both the financial risk and the "first-mover disadvantage" that typically prevents industry-wide reforms. It’s a brilliant strategy.
The time-limited offer also creates a sense of urgency, driving faster adoption across the industry. As these pioneering producers demonstrate that humane slaughter is both technically possible and economically viable, others are beginning to purchase their own stunners without needing SWP's financial support.
Meanwhile, forward-thinking retailers can begin offering exclusively humanely-slaughtered shrimp to their customers, creating market demand that pulls the entire industry toward better practices. This creates a virtuous cycle: as more retailers require humane slaughter, more producers invest in the technology, making it more widely available and affordable for the entire industry.
2. Eyestalk Ablation-Free Initiative
Female breeding shrimp often have their eyestalks brutally cut, crushed, burned, or tied off. This extremely painful procedure is done to manipulate breeding cycles and increase production.
SWP publicly celebrates retailers and producers who commit to banning this cruel practice in their supply chains. Their "Eyestalk Ablation-Free" recognition program showcases industry leaders who have implemented strict policies against this practice, encouraging others to follow suit and establishing a new industry standard.
3. Groundbreaking Research
As pioneers in a neglected field, SWP conducts essential research to identify the most pressing welfare issues and effective solutions. They've published comprehensive reports on welfare priorities for the industry, consumer attitudes toward shrimp welfare, and country-specific assessments of farming practices in major producing nations.
Their Shrimp Welfare Index, based on the latest peer-reviewed literature, provides a clear framework for understanding and addressing the most important factors affecting shrimp welfare — a valuable resource in a field where many farmers don't yet know what constitutes good welfare.
- Launching in 2021, Shrimp Welfare Project already helps approximately 2.7 billion shrimp annually across seven countries on three continents.
- SWP has convinced major grocery retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S, Waitrose, and Albert Heijn to phase out inhumane slaughter in their supply chains.
- Securing nine agreements with seafood producers that have committed to humane slaughter, SWP helps to reduce the suffering of approximately 1.6 billion shrimp per year.
- SWP’s bid to remove sludge from around 80 acres of shrimp ponds in India has directly enhanced the living conditions for about 30 million shrimp annually.