When carrying capacity exceeds in shrimp farming

Dr Manoj.M.Sharma

Mayank Aquaculture Pvt. Ltd., Surat, Gujarat. India

mapl.shrimp@gmail.com

Major culture issues in 2018

• Less seed (PL) survival

• Slow growth- High FCR

• Abrupt bloom / water color / primary productivity

• Gill choke/ Brown gill/ Black gill

• Running mortality

• Body deformity (cramping, bamboo shrimp)

• White gut/ White faeces

• EHP

WSSV

Still major damager

Production trends v/s SuccessYear Total seed

Production(in billion)

Total shrimpproduction

(in tons)

% of success Remarks

2010 2.2 47 000 85

2011 4.5 83 000 74

2012 9.0 145 000 64

2013 18 247 000 55

2014 23 317 000 55

2015 32 353 000 44

2016 38 380 000 40

2017 60 650 000 40

2018 65 540000 35

Note: Calculated shrimp count @ 40 to 50 pcs/Kg

Whether we were ready??

• Technology and Farming practice – P. monodon

• Farming set up – P. monodon

• Infrastructure – P. monodon

• Production capacity - P. monodon

(Seed, Feed, Medicines and Processing)

What farmers did!!

Blame game

• Seed quality- Brood stock, Hatchery practices, PL quality

• Feed quality- Company, Composition and Competition

• Probiotics and health products- Quality, unethical marketing

• Farm management- Biosecurity and farm protocol

• Technicians- knowledge, field experience, service ethics

Gujarat fact file• Gujarat is the second largest shrimp producing state in India.

• Monodon era 1995 to 2009.

• Vannamei era 2009 to 2018.

• Gujarat emerged as one of the most productive and sustainable shrimp farming state with 95% success.

• Gujarat USP was in bigger size shrimp production 30 - 45 gms.

• Gujarat major production range was big size till 2016, but in year 2017 the farmers suffered slow growth and major harvest was in 25 gms. First glimpse of down trend.

• First half of 2018 , very bad start 85% of ponds affected with WFD, EHP, RMS leading to crash harvest at 15 -20 grams size .

• Farming fraternity in total shock!!!

Responsible Factor

Pond production v/s Pond carrying capacity

Production area v/s Water source carrying capacity

Disease Episode

DISEASE

PATHOGEN

ORGANIC LOAD

Organic load

Bloom crash

Shrimp excreta

Source water

Feed waste

SLUDGE REMOVAL THEORY

- Blessing or Curse??• Pond specific - May be working for pond with different techniques and

methods of sludge removal.

• Creek – Is it safe for long term sustainability as sludge is the biggest

contributor for organic load.

• For shrimp farming water intake and water exchange is a continuous process.

• Whether is it safe to remove the sludge into the same water source.

Recommendation:

There should be separate area for sludge bed and its treatment. Proper care should be

taken during disposing or recycling.

Perfect Disease Recipe

• High stocking density

• High salinity

• High organic load

• High water Temp.

White wash in shrimp farming

White Gut and White Faeces in summer

and

White spot in monsoon and winter

Eye Opener

During post harvest analysis of MAPL farms in year 2016, we were surprisedto see and compare production data of our own two sites with markeddifferences in production and profitability.

After detail study we have found that the only difference was source of water.Rest all the protocols and farm inputs were same.

This has prompted us to carry out further studies on bigger scale.

Therefore, we selected four sites with different locations for comparativestudies.

Case Study in 2017

• Old Pond – Old Creek at village Saras, Olpad, Gujarat, India

• New Pond – Old Creek at village Mandroi, Olpad, Gujarat, India

• New Pond – New Creek (high saline) at village Kotda, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India

• New Pond – New Creek (low saline) at village Bhonang, Roha, Maharashtra India

Trial criteria

• CONSTANT VARIABLE

• Seed Source of water

• Stocking density

• Feed

• Probiotics & health products

• Protocols

Results

TRIAL NO SITES DOC COUNT/KG SURVIVAL REMARKS

01 OPOC 140 36-40 62.5% Slow growth high FCR 1.8

02 NPOC 133 33-37 75% Avg. growth & surv. rate

03 NPNC- HS 155 40-45 90% Slow growth good prodn.

04 NPNC- LS 105 38-40 95% Super growth FCR 1.15

Conclusion

• The out come of the study was an eye opener, even for me as a farmer.

• With the constant inputs and same farm management, it rendered highly

significant result showing production success from 62.5% to 95% at different

locations.

• The study clearly point out “what matters is organic matter”.

• The health of the shrimp is directly related to the source of water.

• For the success of shrimp farming carrying capacity of pond and source water

plays a pivotal role.

Suggestions • With the drive to produce more, shrimp farmers should seriously consider carrying capacity of pond

v/s source of water.

• Sludge removing theory- Sludge should never be released directly to the same source of incoming

water. Design ETP and sludge pits for the same.

• In the affected areas farmers should lower production by reducing stocking densities. Operate only

50% of the ponds each time and rotate the cycle.

• Encourage farmers group/ club/ association/ society for mutual cooperation.

• Finally, if you have the art and science to produce shrimp, then go in isolation.

You will definitely have a good chance.

Shrimp farming - Fact file

oWorld over shrimp farming started with Traditional method (1970-80)

oThe developing phase- extensive and modified extensive (1985 -95)

oThe scientific Era with High production systems (1995- 2005)

o Intensive production systems (2005-2015)

oSuper intensive era 2015…….

Except India and Ecuador most of the shrimp farming countries are

struggling to produce

What next ??

Fact file of Ecuador oEcuador is producing close to 550,000 tons from 220,000 hectare

oAverage production per ha is 2500 kg per ha

oSay with increase in production 4000 kg /ha Ecuador will produce close to 0.9

million tons.

oAlready struggling to sale 550,000 tons- imagine selling 1 million ton

oGetting less price compare to 2015

o Increasing cost of production and less profit margin for farmers

oWill it be practical and feasible for industry to produce more!

Take away points ……

• Congratulations to Ecuador, you are already on top of the world.

• Don’t get carried away with the success, keep faith in sustainable shrimp farming

practices.

• Ecuador only needs improvements and efficiency in farm management practices.

Please continue your present sustainable stocking modules

• Intensification and sustainability don’t go together

• Learn from the failures of Asian countries, don’t repeat the same mistakes

• Science and Technology alone cannot grow shrimp, don’t under estimate the

support from mother nature/ environment

• Always produce shrimp within a positive carrying capacity.

Remember,

Intensification comes with a cost

and goes with a cost!

Save shrimp farming for the next generation !!