Asian Shrimp Farms (I)

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The following is from Third World Network, of Peacenet.
- Steve Denney

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Subject: 31-Jul-95 Asian shrimp farms at crossroads

ASIAN SHRIMP FARMS AT A CROSSROADS

Critics  are  questioning  whether  shrimp  aquaculture   is
sustainable or economically viable, given its short lifespan
and  damaging ecological and social consequences. (First  of
two articles)


By Martin Khor
Third World Network Features

Penang:  Shrimp  aquaculture,  hailed as  a  miracle  money-
spinner and export-earner, is in serious trouble in a number
of  Asian countries, with production hit  by  epidemic-level
diseases  and a groundswell of discontent developing due  to
the industry's ecological and social effects.

Critics   are   questioning   whether   the   industry    is
`sustainable'  or  economically viable beyond  some  initial
years,  and  whether  it is beneficial  overall,  given  its
relatively short lifespan and damaging consequences.

Besides  damaging  mangroves and other resources  along  the
coastline  and  contaminating the  surrounding  waters,  the
experience  of many countries shows that shrimp  aquaculture
itself becomes a victim of its own ecological effects.

Over-intensive production, too rapid an expansion, and self-
contamination of the water in the ponds have led to  disease
outbreaks, sometimes to uncontrollable levels.

The  most  dramatic example to date is  provided  by  Taiwan
which  only a few years ago was the world's  largest  shrimp
exporter.  Its  output of cultured shrimp tumbled  from  the
1987 peak of about 90,000 metric tons to 40,000 tons in 1988
and  around 25,000 tons in 1989, where it remained  for  the
next few years.

According  to  a  study by  American  environmentalist,  Ian
Baird,  this  was  largely due  to  epidemic-level  diseases
caused   by   viruses,   bacteria   and   protozoans.    The
indiscriminate  use of toxic chemicals and antibiotics  also
decreased the resistance of shrimps to diseases.

The  output  fall was also due to overstocking,  having  too
many  crops  a year, incorrectly using processed  food,  and
ground  subsidence (in some areas, land sank several  metres
in a few years) due to overexploitation of groundwater.

A  model of what happened in Taiwan, and is  being  repeated
elsewhere,   is  given  by  Imre  Csavas,   Asian   regional
aquaculture officer of the Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO).

In a paper, Csavas says:  `Increased self-pollution leads to

more  frequent  and more  severe  disease  outbreaks...These
diseases  were  not  unknown  in the  growth  phase  of  the
industry, but one crop failure out of three or four was  not
a  cause of concern when the total investment was  recovered
from the profits of two.

`Such  annoying fiascos were quickly forgotten.  Detrimental
effects of self-pollution, however, accumulated rapidly,  as
the  whole  coastline was converted to  shrimp  ponds,  crop
failure  followed  crop failure and the ponds  were  finally
abandoned by the investors.'

Csavas points out that Taiwan was the first country to  face
such  a disaster.  `But unfortunately the lessons  were  not
heeded. Other countries, most notably Thailand, followed the
same course and committed the same mistakes as Taiwan,  with
the same disastrous results.

`Availability  of  virgin  sections of  the  Thai  coastline
masked  the real magnitude of the problems for a while  but,
considering  the devastating disease outbreaks in 1993,  the
end seems to be close.'

The FAO officer reveals that Indonesia and China, both  also
heavyweight  producers,  also  did not  avoid  the  trap  of
overinvestment.   `This  explains  the  disastrous   disease
outbreaks   and  subsequent  drop  in  production   reported
recently from both these countries.'

Besides  the above countries, there are also  the  following
recent reports of disease outbreaks:

o     In  India, a mysterious viral disease  (termed  'white
spot disease') started from the end of 1994 to spread  along
the  East  Coast  states of Tamil Nadu,  Andra  Pradesh  and
Orissa  and  wiped out a large part of the  cultured  shrimp
crop.  `In Nellore, rows upon rows of empty ponds  compelled
entrepreneurs to go on a forced crop holiday,' reported  the
Economic  Times.  `The  mysterious virus  continued  on  its
destructive   course  decimating  shrimps   in   thousands.'
Recently,  the  lethal  virus also attacked  farms  in  West
Bengal,  which  accounts for more than a  third  of  India's
output.

o     In Ecuador, a recent outbreak of diseases  (caused  by
bacteria,  viruses and fungi) shut down 12,000  hectares  in
the  Gulf  of Guayaquil and threatens to extend  to  El  Oro
region.

o     In  Malaysia,  there have  been  recent  and  frequent
reports of widespread death of cultured prawns.  This  year,
a  newly-discovered  virus  attacked prawn  farms  in  Kedah
state,  affecting  60 prawn-farm owners, and  spread  to  40
farms  in neighbouring Perak state, killing almost  all  the
prawns.


There  are  reports  meanwhile that  shrimp  aquaculture  is
causing  adverse  social and environmental effects  in  many
countries.

Hundreds  of farming and fishing communities throughout  the
Asian  region are protesting against the intrusion into  and
despoilation of their and water resources by the aquaculture
farms.

These farms have been set up by commercial companies, mainly
in  the past five to ten years.  The  shrimps,  particularly
`Tiger  Prawns',  are  mainly  exported  to  rich  countries
(especially Japan, the USA and in Europe), where they  fetch
a  high  price and have become a fashionable  and  expensive
cuisine item.

The rapid expansion of commercial, intensive aquaculture has
often been called the `Blue Revolution', following the  term
`Green  Revolution'  used to describe  the  introduction  of
chemical-based agriculture.

Since  the 1970s, global production of cultured  shrimp  has
jumped  by  incredible rates, mostly in Asia which  in  1990
produced 556,500 metric tons or 80% of the world output.  In
the  same year, it was also estimated that 820,000  hectares
were being used for coastal shrimp aquaculture in Asia.

The   aquaculture  farms  comprise  huge  tanks   or   ponds
constructed  on lands near the sea.  Sea and groundwater  is
pumped  into  the  tanks,  into  which  pesticides  and  and
chemicals are added. The polluted wastewater from the  ponds
is released into the sea and neighbouring lands.

In  constructing  the  ponds  and  pumping  stations,  land,
forests and mangroves in the coastal areas are bulldozed and
excavated.  The  saltwater  in  the  ponds  seeps  into  the
groundwater,  and  the increased salinity  damages  drinking
water  supply as well as surrounding agriculture land.   The
wastewater  from  the  ponds pollutes  the  sea  and  marine
environment, reducing and poisoning fishlife.

Thousands of farms throughout the region have been adversely
affected.   Farmers have been displaced from their lands  to
make way for aquaculture. Many more farms have been  damaged
by  the flow of saltwater from the shrimp ponds to the  rice
fields, greatly reducing the farm output.

Fishing  communities  have  also  been  badly  hit  as   the
aquaculture ponds have blocked their access to the sea  from
their   villages,  and  displaced  the  places   where   the
fisherfolk land and park their boats and spread their  nets.
The  fisherfolk's catch is also depleted by  pollution  from
the  ponds  and  by  the capture of  young  shrimps  by  the
aquaculture farms for their hatcheries.


On  top of these, rural households located near  the  shrimp
farms  are  facing severe drinking water  problems,  as  the
farms  pump out and deplete their groundwater  supplies,  as
well as pollute the drinking water sources through saltwater
and farm wastewater. - Third World Network Features

- ends -

About the writer: Martin Khor is director of the Third World
Network.

When  reproducing  this feature, please credit  Third  World
Network   Features  and  (if  applicable)  the   cooperating
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byline. Please send us cuttings.

Published by Third World Network 228, Macalister Road, 10400
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