Image: Shrimp in a bowl. Photo by Daniel Klein on Unsplash
by Christine Muller (CM)
David Bellamy (DB) shared an illuminating presentation about shrimp with the participants of the recent Sustainable Development course. Here is a brief interview about some of the main points from his presentation.
CM: David, what are the problems connected with shrimp production?
DB: The first problem is land use. Most shrimp farms are opened in tropical, coastal wetlands; precious mangrove forests are cut down. Some of their trees are very old, over 100 years. Mangrove forests provide habitat for numerous marine animals that use them for shelter, feeding, and rearing their babies.
CM: It is so important that you show this connection – mangroves are essential for protecting biodiversity. They are also needed for healthy fisheries and therefore for the nutrition and livelihoods of the local population.
What is their importance for the climate?
DB: Mangrove forests have an almost unmatched ability to take CO2 from the atmosphere and to store it. If you remove it, not only do you lose this reduction in the future, but all the carbon that has been sequestered before will now be released back into the environment. Overall, the carbon footprint of shrimp is huge: To get one pound of frozen shrimp creates one ton of CO2 emissions. “The carbon footprint of the shrimp from land use is about 10-fold greater than the land use carbon footprint of an equivalent amount of beef produced from a pasture formed from a tropical rainforest.”
CM: Wow, that has a huge impact on the climate!
Talking about the climate, what other benefits do mangrove forests have?
BD: Mangroves serve as barriers to ocean flooding from sea surges and hurricanes.
CM: This is so important to protect coastal communities, and rising sea-levels and stronger storms caused by global warming make the protection of mangroves even more urgent.
Tell us more about shrimp.
DB: I read that “A steady stream of organic waste, chemicals and antibiotics from shrimp farms can pollute groundwater or coastal estuaries.” “The release of antibiotics into natural systems increases resistance among bacteria and threatens human and livestock populations with infection.
In addition, the large number of shrimp in crowded condition often results in diseases that are then carried to wild populations.
CM: That all sounds pretty grim. Is there anything positive about shrimp farms?
DB: Increasing shrimp production can help us feed a growing humanity and add protein to some diets that don’t get enough now. If the right changes were made in production, the carbon footprint could be significantly reduced. Shrimp producers seem to understand that they must do better, and will try to comply, because they don’t want to lose the business. They are hearing from all corners, especially consumers, that if they want us to buy their shrimp, they have to do better.
CM: Thank you very much, David. I know that there is much more you could share with us.
References
Tiny shrimp leave giant carbon footprint (Phys.org)
Environmental degradation from shrimp farming (Mongabay.com)
