Asian Farmed Shrimp & Prawns Sustainability …...Asian Farmed Shrimp & Prawns...

Asian Farmed Shrimp & Prawns Sustainability myths & reality

Dr. Francis Murray Institute of Aquaculture

University of Stirling

Aims

To compare current ‘sustainability’ messages on shrimp farming against research outcomes in Asian producer countries (Sustaining Ethical Aquaculture Trade - SEAT)

Sources of ‘anti-shrimp’ messages

1. Environmental NGOs

2. Celebrity chefs

3. Media

4. Scientists?

Motives - follow the money?

‘Don’t Eat Tropical Shrimp!’

1. Ecological destruction

2. Land and other resource dispossession

3. Human-rights abuses

4. Labour rights (esp. processing)

5. Food safety issues

Emphasis on food-safety & environmental claims

Recent examples

Swedish Nature Conservancy (2011)

- Murky waters: shrimp farming in Bangladesh

- The devastating truth behind shrimp farming

- The truth behind "organic" shrimp farming in Ecuador

Greenpeace Germany (2012)

- Schmutzige Shrimps - Die Geschäfte der Garnelen Industrie

Kauffman 2012: carbon footprint claims

Common practices?

• Generalisations based on (worst) case-studies!

– Polemic (contentious argument - support beliefs)

• Ignored variability

– Inc. species, farming systems, farm-scale & industry consolidation, location

• Problem of lack of robust sample-frames

SEAT producer countries & species

Country/

Species Tilapia

Pangasii

d Catfish

Penaeid

Shrimp

Freshwater

Prawns

China ✔ ✔

✔ ✔

Vietnam ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Thailand ✔ ✔

✔ ✔

Bangladesh ✔

✔

✔ ✔

Farming systems

• Intensive:

– high stocking density, complete feeds, pumped water supply & aeration

• Extensive:

– low stocking density, natural feed or fertilisation, low water exchange

• Semi-intensive – intermediate (on-farm feeds)

Farming systems

Country Main Species Farm System Yield (t/ha)

Thailand (1) L. vannamei

Intensive 6 - 10

China (2) L. vannamei Intensive

Semi

5 - 10

0.5 - 5

Vietnam (3) L. vannamei

P. Monodon

Intensive

Semi

Extensive

3.5 - 5

2 - 2.5

0.5 - 0.7

Bangladesh

(>10)

P. monodon

M. rosenbergii

Extensive

Semi

0.2 - 0.8

0.5

Export traceability

Full: highly consolidated sectors

Thailand (FMD - 2003)

China (CIQ – 2004)

Partial: fragmented sectors

Bangladesh

Vietnam

(processor responsibility?)

0

0.01-3000

3001-15000

15001-30000

300001+

Saraburi

Lopburi

Surat Thani

Nakhon Sri

Thamarat

Chonburi

Chanthaburi

Ubon

Yasot ho

Nakhon

Ratchasima

Kampangphaet

Chiangrai

Chiangmai

Lampang

Udon Thani

Yala

Nan

PayaoMahongson

Phrae

Uttaradit

Phitsanulok

Loei

TakSukhothai

Lamphum

Nongkhai

Sakhon Nakon

Nakhon

Phanom

Pichit

Nakhon Sawan

Petchabun

Chiyaphum

Khon KeanKalasin

Ubon Ratchathani

Maha

Sarakham Roiet Yasothon

SisaketSurin

Buriram

Srakaew

Rayong

Trat

Uthai Thani

Kanchanaburi

Suphanburi

Chainat

Singburi

Angthong

Ayutthaya

Ratchaburi

Nakhom

Pathom

PathumthaniNonthaburi

Bangkok

Nakhon

Nayok

ChachoengsaoSamut

Prakan

Samut

Sakhon

Samut Songkham

Petchburi

Prachuab Kirikhan

Chumphon

Ranong

Phang

Nga

Krabi

Trang

Satun

Pattalung

SongKhlaPattani

Narathiwat

Intensive pond monoculture of L. vannamei

Largest companies vertically integrated

e.g. CP 10% of total production

Thailand

Source: A. Nietes Satapornvanit - Unpublished

Bangladesh

Extensive & semi-intensive shrimp, fish ponds

Semi-intensive prawn, fish, rice, dyke crops

Shrimp, Prawn, fish, rice, dyke crops

Processing: No vertical

integration

Rural Auction

Ice Transport

Source: L. Facloner - Unpublished

Vietnam Mekong Delta Intensive pangasius

ponds

Processing Some vertical

integration

Intensive

L. vannamei ponds

Extensive &

Semi-intensive

P. monodon ponds Source: Phan T.L. - Unpublished

Land-use & mangrove impacts

• Kauffman (2012):

– 198kg C02/ 100g shrimp based on:

• 50-60% farms in former mangrove areas

• Productivity – 50-500kg/ha

• Ponds abandoned after 3-9 years

• Boyd & Clay 2012 (WWF):

– Est. 10% historic clearance due to shrimp

– Major clearances 1970’s to mid 1990’s

Bangladesh example

• SE Bangladesh (Cox’s Bazaar) - 25% vol – Extensive mangrove clearance 1980’s & 1990’s

• SW Bangladesh (Khulna) - 75% vol – 2ndry clearance low-yielding rice in polderised

estuarine flood plains

– Sunderbans negligible impact (wild juveniles?)

• Impact allocation problem – Flooded paddy – highest agric. CO2 emission!

– LCA: PAS 2050 land-use refinement?

Year of farm establishment (n=200)

Vietnam

China

Bangladesh – aquatic species biodiversity

Source: Carbonara S. - Unpublished n = 97

Food safety

• Public domain

– food safety still paramount

– Continues to have greatest impact on global value chain configurations?

• Strong linkage with disease prevalence

• A key driver of consolidation

– through costs of traceability requirements

– & poor diagnostic capacity of smaller farms

RASFF notifications – Imports to EU from Thailand 1997 - 2010

Shrimp: no notifications since 2008!

DoF FMD intervention

RASFF notifications – Imports to EU from China 1997 - 2010

Antibiotic Residues

CIQ registration

RASFF notifications – Imports to EU from Vietnam 1998- 2011

Capture: -Heavy metals -Food additives -Allergens

Shrimp: -Antibiotics -Pathogenic micro-organisms -Unauthorized treatment

Pangasius: -Other veterinary --Pathogenic micro-organisms -Pesticides

(P. monodon)

RASFF notifications per 1,000mt of imports from Vietnam to EU 2001-2010

Pangasius 2010 1 notification per 25,600mt

Shrimp 2010 1 notification per 18,500mt

RASFF notifications – Imports to EU from Bangladesh 2000 - 2010

Recurrent EU/ GoB ‘bans’ !

Prawns – now main culprit! UNIDO registration - >200k farms!

Conclusions

• Reductionist sustainability messages ignore wide variation in environmental, social and economic performance

• Evidence that trade-related standards drive improved management

• Through consolidation? – social impacts?

• SEAT: incorporation of evidence-based indicators of sustainability in an Ethical Aquatic Food Index (EAFI)

www.SEATglobal.org

fjm3@stir.ac.uk