Shrimp: Farmed

Black Tiger Shrimp, Tiger Prawn, White Shrimp

Ebi

With worldwide shrimp fisheries at or near maximum sustainable yield, any growth in shrimp production must come from farm-raised shrimp. Many nations are turning to farm-raised shrimp as an attractive source of international trade revenue. The vast majority of farmed shrimp is white shrimp and comes from tropical nations, including India, Thailand, Indonesia, Ecuador, China, Bangladesh, and Vietnam. Shrimp farming has had an adverse effect on coastal habitat, water quality and local village economies.

While much of the shrimp sold in North America continues to come from Asian countries, it is expected that more sustainable shrimp farmed in the US will become increasingly prevalent in the marketplace.

Most farms in Asia, Central and South America rely on wild-caught broodstock. The capture of larvae has become a cottage industry in some economically-disadvantaged coastal communities and larvae fishing takes a heavy toll of bycatch of the youngest stages of many fish and invertebrates.

In some areas, stocks of non-native shrimp have become established as a result of escapes. Pacific White Shrimp, for example, are now found in the Gulf of Mexico due to these escapes.

Shrimp farming has spread viral shrimp diseases around the globe. It is not known with certainty that these viruses escaped from captive shrimp but some consider it likely as the viruses seem to have originated in Asia.

International shrimp farming is associated with continuing reports of nutrient effluent discharge, unregulated use of US and EU banned antibiotics, and habitat degradation in coastal regions of SE Asia and India. All of these factors are a high conservation concern.

Shrimp farms are subject to the various laws and monitoring protocols of each country where shrimp are raised. In many nations laws for environmental protection may not exist or, if they exist, may or may not be enforced and are therefore deemed to be ineffective.

Is this shrimp farmed or wild?

Where is this shrimp from?

Adults and children could eat 4 or more meals per month without risking exposure

No.