Shrimp aquaculture is the controlled raising of shrimp for human consumption. It has become a booming industry, but environmentalists have raised concerns about its impact. Disease is a major issue, and there are also environmental concerns, such as contamination of drinking water and damage to natural environments. The World Wildlife Fund is working to promote sustainable practices.
Shrimp aquaculture is the purposeful raising of shrimp for human consumption and use. Like meat farming, shrimp aquaculture creates a controlled population of shrimp for use as food. Shrimp aquaculture as a small business is centuries old, but in the late 20th and early 21st centuries it has become a booming enterprise around the world. Following the growing popularity of shrimp farming, environmentalists have raised a number of serious concerns about the methods and environmental impact of aquaculture.
Shrimp aquaculture normally works in three stages: hatchery, nursery and sprouting. Companies can specialize in one stage or comprehensively cover all three stages. A shrimp hatchery handles the spawning and larval stages of the process, providing nutrients and adequate water density to feed and support the shrimp and spawning larvae. A single shrimp can produce up to a million eggs in one clutch, but mortality rates between spawning and maturity can be extremely high.
Nursery companies tend to eat shrimp in the post-larval stage, but before the adult stage. These have declined in popularity as the multiple changes in tanks seem to increase death rates due to disease and poor adaptability in many shrimp species. A growth pond is the final stage of shrimp aquaculture and deals with shrimp that have reached maturity but are not large enough to be harvested for food or sale.
One of the biggest difficulties in shrimp aquaculture is disease. Captive shrimp seem extremely susceptible to viruses, and a single infected shrimp can wipe out an entire pond. Farmers often try to reduce disease by treating their water with antibiotics; something that worries many scientists. In addition, the algae and other microorganisms used in shrimp food can be treated with a pesticide that, like antibiotics, makes its way to the shrimp and therefore to whoever consumes the shrimp.
Shrimp aquaculture has existed in Southeast Asia for several hundred years, although typically on a small scale. Many households had a small lake or secluded estuary that could be stocked with shrimp that fed on natural microorganisms in the water. Areas with mangrove trees are particularly valuable for shrimp aquaculture. Today, there are many large-scale aquaculture operations in Southeast Asia, although they are widespread in North and South America as well.
Environmentalists have noted a decline in local environments where shrimp aquaculture takes place. Salt water from aquaculture ponds can leak into the groundwater source, contaminating drinking water. Mangrove forests and reefs near the coast have been damaged and devastated by agricultural organizations that use natural environments to farm shrimp. The World Wildlife Fund has spearheaded attempts to open environmental dialogues with shrimp farmers in order to promote and implement sustainable aquaculture practices.
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