the greatest suffering in the world, and almost no one talks about it
Shrimps
Billions of shrimp are abused, suffocated, and mutilated every year, and almost no one knows about it. It's time we started seeing them for what they are: sentient beings with a right to a life free from suffering. Read here why we believe people should stop eating and farming shrimp, and what you can do to help them.
Imagine being surrounded by filth, disease, and stress. Having your eyes cut out so that you can be more "productive." Being pulled out of the water and slowly suffocated to death while your fellow creatures suffer the same fate beside you.
This is not a future dystopia. It is reality for the billions of shrimp that are farmed and caught every year for our dinner plates. And it is hardly ever discussed.
Violent treatment
We have been raised to believe that shrimp are just small crustaceans. That they don't feel anything. That they are just "food." But the truth is that shrimp have nervous systemssimilar to those of other animals. They react to pain, they remember bad experiences, they learn, and they try to avoid suffering. They are someone —not something. They are individuals who should not be measured in tons.
Shrimp are among the most exploited animals in the world – both in terms of numbers and degree of suffering. Every year , around 440 billion shrimp are farmed globally, and a staggering 25 trillion (!) are caught in the wild. That is more than any other animal killed for human consumption. And their fate is largely ignored by public debate, media attention, and compassion.
In the fishing industry, it is common practice to cut or crush one or both eyes of female shrimp (also called eyestalk ablation). This forces the shrimp to produce more eggs much faster. The procedure harms not only the females, but also their offspring – and it is performed without anesthesia. The procedure is not widespread in Denmark, but many of the shrimp consumed here are imported from countries that practice eyestalk ablation.
When shrimp are killed, they are usually pulled out of the water and left to die slowly by suffocation on land. For hours. On ice. Crammed together with thousands of other individuals. We don't know exactly how long they suffer. Only they know.
🧠 Did you know?
Research shows that shrimp respond to pain, learn from discomfort, and have preferences—just like other animals.
Shrimps are individuals
Most animals we talk about in animal welfare and ethics are mammals or birds. They are the ones we know and, in some cases, spend millions of dollars to protect. But shrimp are small, silent, and their suffering is invisible. Not because it is less than that of other animals, but because we have chosen not to see it.
But we can change that choice.
Several initiatives have been launched to introduce electric stunners for breeders, and work is underway to make death a little less painful for the shrimp. This is one of many new initiatives that show that we have begun to work for the welfare of shrimp.
But here at Dyrenes Alliance , we don't think that's good enough! It is possible to completely avoid the suffering of shrimp by letting them live their preferred, natural lives without human-induced pain and suffering. The easiest way to do this is by eating a vegan and plant-based diet. There are already delicious and healthy alternatives to shrimp, and even some that look and taste exactly like fish and shrimp. So there is no excuse not to choose one of these alternatives for your dinner table instead of animals that have suffered a cruel fate. If you want to try the vegan lifestyle and eat plant-based, you can try our Vegan Challenge.
There is a world of life we have never learned to care about. It is time we changed that. You can help by trying the Vegan Challenge, or you can support our work for the right of crabs to live undisturbed.
What does science say?
Science shows that shrimp do not just react automatically. They retreat from pain, tend to wounds, and avoid places where they have previously suffered. It has also been proven that some individuals would rather endure pain than leave a safe hiding place. This is behavior we normally associate with sentient beings. Because that is what they are.
We just never learned to see it.
They feel. They remember. They suffer.
🧠 Did you know?
If a shrimp is subjected to eye stalk ablation, it tends to groom the damaged area. It has not just reacted reflexively—it has felt something.
You can make a difference for the shrimp
Shrimps are sentient beings. They have preferences, they learn from pain, they show fear, and they try to avoid suffering. Like all other animals, they deserve to be regarded as individuals, not commodities.
What is happening to shrimp is the greatest organized suffering on the planet today – measured in terms of numbers and lack of protection.
It's not about perfection. It's about taking a stand. When we choose what we eat, we also choose what we support. In addition to trying the Vegan Challenge, you can also: