But the bulk of the shrimp sold elsewhere in the U.S. and even in New England, is not the tiny, northern wild-caught Pandalus borealis, but bigger shrimp, similar to those harvested by southern shrimpers in the Gulf of Mexico. However, most of the shrimp sold nationwide–more than 80 percent–are not wild-caught at all, but farmed in several Asian and South American countries.
Americans have consumed 4.1 pounds of shrimp per capita for the past several years, with “one of the highest consumption rates in the world,” said Eric Schwaab, NOAA assistant administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service.
By far, the largest percentage of our imported, farmed shrimp comes from Thailand, around 445 million pounds, which exports 45 percent of its shrimp to the U.S.
Several years ago, Thai shrimp farms were criticized in a report for allowing labor practices such as forced labor for refugees from Myanamar, and for employing children. Experts close to the Thai industry say the charges were exaggerated, involved a small number of shrimp plants, occurred mostly where work was outsourced, and were dealt with immediately when they were discovered.
To restore the industry’s reputation, during the past decade the government has passed many additional laws to protect workers and children.
All Asian shrimp farming countries also were criticized for using unsafe levels of antibiotics and other chemicals deemed harmful and banned by the U.S. The Thai industry and government wasted no time in working to turn the situation around, making every effort to insure production of a high-quality, chem-free, environmentally sustainable product.
“We want every shrimp from Thailand to be of the highest quality,” said a Thai Department of Agriculture official. “Our aim is for every farm to produce natural shrimp, sustainably grown.” Farms wishing to sell to U.S. and E.U. markets must meet stringent rules for certification under national Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). All plants also must meet the U.S. federal HACCP inspection standard, good management practices (GMP),other E.U. requirements, as well as Thai Code of Conduct (COC) rules. Thai plants also meet several International Organization for Standards (ISO) criteria.
From the tiniest independent farms to a 1000-acre, indoor biosecure farm, samples from every harvest of shrimp grown in Thailand are tested by government labs — spotless high-tech, state-of-the-art facilities–for banned chemicals and other contaminants. Farms are also inspected regularly for hygiene and GAPs.
Approximately 80 percent of Thai shrimp farms now use reduced water exchange systems, far more than farms in any other shrimp-growing country. Farms use a combination of settling ponds and fish to clean the water for recycling or reuse in shrimp-growing ponds.
Along with these efforts, King Bhumibol Adulyadej has launched several royal pilot projects expected to be used as models to show how fishing and fish farming practices can be conducted in a sustainable fashion. The projects also include reclamation of mangrove forests.
Shrimp farming worldwide has been blamed for destroying up to 38 percent of of the world’s mangroves, which are considered some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet. They provide important buffers against hurricanes and tsunamis, as well as sequestering huge amounts of carbon.
The Kung Krabaen Royal Development Study Center in Chanthaburi Province along the Gulf of Thailand is one of 3000 royal projects in Thailand. This one features a model shrimp farm and a once-heavily damaged shoreline that has been reclaimed by the planting two species of mangroves in the brackish water.
“It’s a sustainable system, a good model. We have a closed system for shrimp, the shrimp residue provides organic fertilizer with which we can grow organic mushrooms and rice, and then feed livestock for human consumption,” said the center’s manager. “If villagers produce more than they can use, they can sell it. And the mangrove trail is a living museum.”
Oysters grow on strings in an outlet canal to further clean the water and decrease plankton. Egg-bearing swimming crabs are returned to the water so their eggs can hatch. Artificial reefs are constructed near natural coral reefs to provide habitat for the endangered giant clam and other species. While some of the land was taken for the reclamation project, officials say what’s left is more productive and profitable for the residents. In three villages inside the project area, 57 families operate marine fish farms, mostly grouper. And it’s a four-season camping area for tourists.
The mangrove reclamation area covers 247 acres now, but researchers plan to plant another 200 acres. The multipurpose center allows tourists to kayak through the mangrove forests, and encourages them to plant a mangrove seedling or release small fish into the bay. Visitors may also take a self-guided mangrove forest study hike along a 1-mile long boardwalk, and climb a tall tower with sweeping views of the bay and forests.
While the center offers education for tourists, it also illustrates for local residents of the 23 villages in the region the value of protecting and restoring the environment, and shows how fishing and fish farming can co-exist without doing ecological harm.
Another, smaller, royal project returned several species of fish to the area surrounding a 100-year-old village built on poles adjacent to an island in Phang Nga province. The crab fishermen of Bang Phat village saw their traditional crab harvest shrinking and the mangroves near shore disappearing. As part of the reclamation and shrimp farming project, they learned to build pens to grow out the tiny crabs caught in their gillnets, rather than waste those too small for market. They call it the “crab bank.”
“Villagers are now seeing species they haven’t seen for 40 years,” said Adhinand Indrapim, fisheries biologist with the Fisheries Foreign Affairs Division of the Thai Department of Fisheries. Residents of the tiny village proudly show visitors their new practices and the results of the project. As well as knowledge of how to properly handle resources, all the royal projects aim to instill pride in the people of the surrounding communities.
Most women of the Muslim village were veils, but they don’t cover their faces or take a passive role. The village chief is a Muslim woman. Women pick crabs alongside men, run shops and “home stays” – the equivalent of bed-and-breakfasts.
Several farms have switched to production of organic shrimp and that’s expected to be a growing trend, said representatives of the Thai Department of Agriculture.
The Sureerat family farm in Chanthaburi Province, the largest organic shrimp farm in Thailand, has 133 growout ponds and allows no wastewater discharge into the environment. Feed for the shrimp comes from natural seaweed, fish and fish oils and other ingredients certified as organic by Naturland, the Germany-based certifying agency.
Their farm exemplifies many facets of Thai life. Three generations of the Sureerat family live together in a big house. Each has a separate “apartment” with living room, bedrooms and bath, but all share a large living room, dining room and kitchen. All the adult family members are involved in running the farm.
The industry started out growing Black Tiger shrimp, but Vannemei, or white shrimp, are the most frequently grown in Thailand now since they are more resistant to disease and grow to market size more quickly. But Black Tiger shrimp are prized, so the Sureerats are growing both, figuring the longer growout time will work with an organic product that carries a higher price anyway. Much of their shrimp goes to the Chinese “live” market for a 10- to 20-percent higher price, so the shrimp are transported, like Maine lobster, to be kept alive in tanks when they reach market.
From the feed plants, to the hatcheries and nurseries, through the growout phase and all the way through processing, Thai shrimp are monitored and inspected. Every step in the growing and transportation process in all Thai shrimp farming is documented for traceability. Because of the consistently warm climate, all Thai shrimp farmers may grow shrimp year-round, so harvests can be staggered to meet market needs.
Our federal government recently decided to extend the tariffs imposed on Thailand and other countries exporting shrimp to the U.S. as a result of a lawsuit brought by Gulf shrimpers who accuse those countries of ‘dumping’ shrimp below market costs, the Thais say they’re still happy to continue selling to the U.S. and they’re proud of their product.