Shrimp Are the Most Abused Animals on Earth (w/ Andrés Jiménez Zorrilla)

Current Affairs

🦩 This episode originally aired on April 22, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs

Most people never think twice about shrimp. But as it turns out, these creatures make up the majority of animals alive on farms at any given time—hundreds of billions every year. And the conditions they endure are often horrifying: overcrowding, eye mutilation, and inhumane slaughter methods are all standard practice. So why don’t we care?

We’re joined by Andrés Jiménez Zorrilla, chairman of the Shrimp Welfare Project. He walks us through the shocking scale of global shrimp farming, the mounting scientific evidence for shrimp sentience, and the practical reforms that can drastically reduce animal suffering.

0:00–5:20 Why We Care About Pandas But Not Shrimp

5:20–10:54 The Most Abused Animals on Earth

10:54–17:18 Can Shrimp Feel Pain?

17:18–22:36 Inside the Brutal World of Shrimp Farming

22:36–31:32 How We Can Make Shrimp Suffer Less

🦐 Yes, Shrimp Matter: https://asteriskmag.com/issues/09/yes-shrimp-matter

🦐 Shrimp Welfare Project: https://www.shrimpwelfareproject.org/