King prawn

Production of King prawns (Litopenaeus vannamei) in UK RAS systems relies on commercial feeds produced by established global feed companies, consisting of both marine and terrestrial ingredients.King prawns in RAS systems in the UK are fed a standard pelleted diet containing fishmeal, fish oil, and plant-based proteins and oils.Over time, cheaper plant-based proteins and oils, such as soy and palm, have been increasingly substituted into feed formulations. Feed suppliers may have internal policies to ensure that plant-based and marine ingredients are traceable and responsibly sourced. Many companies have already achieved, or are actively working towards, the goal of sourcing 100% of their ingredients responsibly.King prawns have a relatively low requirement for fish oil and a slightly higher demand for fishmeal. These requirements have both declined over time. Currently, the Feed Fish Dependency Ratio – the quantity of wild fish (excluding by-products) needed to produce one unit of farmed seafood – is estimated to be below 0.5 for king prawns farmed in UK RAS systems.

Species farmed in recirculating aquaculture systems have little direct environmental impact due to the closed nature of the system.King prawns farmed in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) in the UK have minimal environmental impact. These systems can be established almost anywhere with access to water and often make use of existing buildings, therefore avoiding sensitive habitats. When purpose-built, they are typically located on converted land or brownfield sites, ensuring no loss of habitat or ecosystem functionality. As RAS is a closed-loop system, ongoing freshwater use is minimal, and only small amounts are required to replace water lost through evaporation.Although pathogens can spread quickly in RAS systems, the closed design does provide physical isolation from the surrounding environment. This prevents the transmission of pathogens or parasites to wild species and eliminates risks associated with chemical use. Chemical use in UK RAS prawn farming is very limited, and any wastewater generated can be treated and sterilised before potential discharge, ensuring that the risk of chemical release into the environment is very low.Wastewater management is highly efficient. Drum filters separate solid waste, which can then be repurposed as fertiliser or directed into biodigesters, while biofilters remove toxic ammonia from the liquid portion.Juveniles for UK RAS prawn systems are hatchery-produced, and therefore wild populations are unaffected. Also, as king prawns are raised in fully enclosed systems, there is no risk of escapes, and predator control measures are unnecessary.

Regulations on animal welfare do not apply to crustaceans. Slaughter is carried out humanely.Animal welfare is not applicable for crustaceans as it is not covered by EU regulations on welfare.

Recirculating aquaculture systems perform well regarding management and regulation due to their terrestrial location and planning.Land based recirculation systems score well for regulation and management. Marine spatial planning is not applicable to land-based systems that are subject to terrestrial planning. There is regulatory framework that covers the protection of valuable habitats and species. As the system is fully closed, regulations regarding environmental impact assessments, land and water resource use, chemicals, discharges, biosecurity and species introduction are not applicable, and none of the environmental assessment questions scored negatively due to poor regulation.