Aquaculture

Shrimp is one of the most popular types of seafood in the world. Approximately 5 million metric tons of shrimp are produced annually. Shrimp farms are being created throughout the world to help meet the demand for shrimp. Shrimp aquaculture, which increased nine fold during the 1990s and is one of the fastest growing forms of aquaculture, now accounts for one-third of the shrimp produced globally.

Most shrimp aquaculture occurs in China, followed by Thailand, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Brazil, Ecuador and Bangladesh. The majority of farmed shrimp is imported to the United States, European Union and Japan. The growth has generated substantial income for developing and developed countries – particularly Asia, the Americas and Africa – but also has raised concerns about how shrimp farming affects the environment and society.

Main impacts of shrimp aquaculture

The key environmental and social issues related to shrimp aquaculture are:

• Farm design: Ecologically-sensitive habitat, such as mangrove forests, can be cleared to create ponds for shrimp production
• Water use/pollution: Salt water from shrimp farms can seep into the groundwater and onto agricultural land (a process called salinization); organic waste, harsh chemicals and antibiotics from shrimp farms can pollute the water; and aquifers can be drained to supply water to shrimp farms
• Feed management: Wild stocks of fish can be depleted for use in formulated feeds for shrimp production
• Broodstock: Biodiversity issues can arise from the collection of wild brood and seed
• Pathogens:The introduction of pathogens can lead to major shrimp disease outbreaks and significant economic losses in producing countries
• Socioeconomic issues: Jobs can be eliminated when there are fewer wild caught shrimp to harvest and/or shrimp farms are shut down due to disease outbreaks; public access to land can be restricted

Our solution

Through the Shrimp Aquaculture Dialogue, global standards for certifying farmed shrimp products are being created. The final standards will help minimize the key environmental and social impacts related to shrimp farming.   

The first draft of the standards document was posted for public comment from March through April 2010 and the second draft was posted for public comment December 2010 through February 2011. The second draft is available in English, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian and Spanish. All feedback received during the public comment periods was used by the Dialogue's Global Steering Committee (GSC) to revise the standards document. The GSC is developing its formal responses to public comments, which will be available on the WWF website in early 2012.

The final draft of the standards document was made public on December 21, 2011.This version of the standards is being used to create an Audit Manual and will be subject to voluntary field testing on selected farms.When finalized, the standards will be given to a new organization, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, that will be responsible for working with independent, third party entities to certify farms that are in compliance with the standards. 

The final draft of the standards document does not reflect final agreement by the GSC. Rather, until the document is finalized, committee members retain the right to debate outstanding issues and develop alternatives based on public input, proactive outreach and further research

Principles

The "International Principles for Shrimp Farming," adopted in 2006 by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, are the framework for the shrimp farming criteria, indicators and standards. The criteria will aim to provide direction on how to reduce each impact identified by the Dialogue and the indicators will address how to measure the extent of each impact. Standards will be quantitative performance levels that evaluate whether a principle is achieved. The principles are:
1. Comply with all applicable national laws and local regulations
2. Site farms in environmentally suitable locations while conserving local biodiversity, natural habitat and ecosystem function
3. Develop and operate farms with consideration for surrounding communities
4. Operate farms with responsible labor practices
5. Manage shrimp health in a responsible manner
6. Manage broodstock origin, stock selection, and effects of stock management
7. Use resources in an environmentally efficient and responsible manner 

Learn more

• Shrimp Dialogue process guidance document
• Shrimp Dialogue work plan
• Shrimp Dialogue meeting reports and presentations
• Shrimp Dialogue fact sheet
  English | Spanish | Indonesian | French
• List of Dialogue steering committee members
• "Lessons from the Ground" report
• Fieldstudy on Smallholder and Community Positions, Needs and Expectation Concerning Shrimp Aquaculture Certification
• Fact sheet about what to consider when buying farmed shrimp

Learn more about the other aquaculture Dialogues WWF is working on.