$SHMP..... Is a Game Changer
Why???
This is a portion of Last Years 2018 Industry Report On Trends IN the Shrimp Industry: TRENDS
While shrimp farming once was destructive, improvements are being
made to reduce the social and environmental externalities
The popular narrative of shrimp aquaculture is bleak: Shrimp farming has been portrayed as having high feed
conversion ratios (FCR) that impair wild fish stocks to feed Western demand; mangroves are destroyed to
create new ponds; antibiotics threaten human health; wastewater leaves agricultural lands and coastal waters
barren; and the boom and bust history of sector has left an image of greed and collapse.
Improvements are underway: While all of the above are founded on legitimate concerns, particularly in
regions that have only recently started to intensify production, it would be unfair to consider this the state of
all global farmed shrimp production. Overall the industry is changing quickly, adopting more sustainable
practices, and aligning with a lower-risk and more profitable business model:
• Feed: FCRs are steadily improving and experts report that shrimp do not require a fish diet anymore,
though growth rates often remain higher when at least some fishmeal is included. Processing byproduct
meal is becoming a common replacement in fishmeal, particularly for countries with large seafood
processing industries like Thailand.
• Mangrove deforestation: The global trend towards the intensification of whiteleg production does not
greatly threaten standing mangrove forests, rather relies more frequently on the conversion of existing
agriculture land (e.g., rice paddies) or the conversion of existing shrimp ponds. Mangrove deforestation is
more associated with black tiger shrimp farming today.
• Antibiotics: Though some countries continue to struggle with the overuse of antibiotics (e.g., China, India),
these treatments are becoming less effective and are being replaced in many countries by preventive and
probiotic solutions.
• Wastewater discharge: Circular water treatment and more self-contained systems decrease discharge
significantly, reducing risks of disease spread.
Clearly, concerns remain and improvement is crucial particularly in small-scale production that lacks the
training and capital to invest into efficiencies such as central drains, water treatment, PL nurseries, and healthy
broodstock.
$SHMP ANSWERS ALL THESE CONCERNS!
Why???
This is a portion of Last Years 2018 Industry Report On Trends IN the Shrimp Industry: TRENDS
While shrimp farming once was destructive, improvements are being
made to reduce the social and environmental externalities
The popular narrative of shrimp aquaculture is bleak: Shrimp farming has been portrayed as having high feed
conversion ratios (FCR) that impair wild fish stocks to feed Western demand; mangroves are destroyed to
create new ponds; antibiotics threaten human health; wastewater leaves agricultural lands and coastal waters
barren; and the boom and bust history of sector has left an image of greed and collapse.
Improvements are underway: While all of the above are founded on legitimate concerns, particularly in
regions that have only recently started to intensify production, it would be unfair to consider this the state of
all global farmed shrimp production. Overall the industry is changing quickly, adopting more sustainable
practices, and aligning with a lower-risk and more profitable business model:
• Feed: FCRs are steadily improving and experts report that shrimp do not require a fish diet anymore,
though growth rates often remain higher when at least some fishmeal is included. Processing byproduct
meal is becoming a common replacement in fishmeal, particularly for countries with large seafood
processing industries like Thailand.
• Mangrove deforestation: The global trend towards the intensification of whiteleg production does not
greatly threaten standing mangrove forests, rather relies more frequently on the conversion of existing
agriculture land (e.g., rice paddies) or the conversion of existing shrimp ponds. Mangrove deforestation is
more associated with black tiger shrimp farming today.
• Antibiotics: Though some countries continue to struggle with the overuse of antibiotics (e.g., China, India),
these treatments are becoming less effective and are being replaced in many countries by preventive and
probiotic solutions.
• Wastewater discharge: Circular water treatment and more self-contained systems decrease discharge
significantly, reducing risks of disease spread.
Clearly, concerns remain and improvement is crucial particularly in small-scale production that lacks the
training and capital to invest into efficiencies such as central drains, water treatment, PL nurseries, and healthy
broodstock.
$SHMP ANSWERS ALL THESE CONCERNS!
