Shrimp farming plays an essential role in Bangladeshi livelihoods, food security and international trade. Prior to the 1970s, Bangladeshi shrimpers typically farmed in inland ponds formed by trapped tidal waters. These ponds only require minimal or no feed, fertilizer, or other inputs. Instead, they rely on the natural ecosystem for shrimp production, but they produce limited output. The expansion of shrimp farming for maximum output has had several environmental and economic consequences, but there exist options for a sustainable future.

Expansion of Shrimp Farming

In the 1970s, international market demand for shrimp grew during the “Blue Revolution,” wherein cheap and vacuum-sealed fish appeared in the freezer aisles of grocery stores around the world. The potential for high profits led to the rapid expansion of commercial shrimp farming in Bangladesh. Today, shrimp production is a major contributor to Bangladeshi fisheries and aquaculture, which both comprise about 3.65% of the nation’s GDP.  Approximately 14.7 million people depend on Bangladeshi fisheries and aquaculture for full- or part-time employment. They also provide about 60% of the animal protein in the average Bangladeshi’s diet.

Shrimp farming has the potential to combat poverty, malnutrition, hunger and job insecurity among the growing population in Bangladesh, but poor shrimp farm management comes with consequences.  In its current state, the long-term effects of shrimp farming may pose more problems in Bangladesh than it can resolve.

Consequences

The rapid expansion of shrimp farming has had adverse environmental, economic and social effects in Bangladesh. Poor placement of farming systems can lead to saltwater intrusion in groundwater, deforestation and loss of mangrove forests, all of which result in changes in local water systems and the deterioration of soil and water quality. This in turn threatens biodiversity, crop production, supplies of potable water and critical cooking fuel. The environmental effects of high-intensity shrimp farming in Bangladesh threaten human health and survival tools, particularly among those living in rural coastal areas who have limited access to alternative livelihoods. This conflict creates social imbalance and contributes to criminal activity in the Bangladeshi coastal regions.

In the long term, Bangladeshi shrimp farming poses economic costs including unemployment and loss of natural resources. These may outweigh the economic benefits of Bangladeshi shrimp production.

Solution for a Sustainable Future

To combat the environmental, social and economic consequences of high-intensity shrimp farming, some Bangladeshi shrimp farmers are turning to integrated multitrophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems. IMTA relies on natural processes to cultivate aquatic organisms at multiple trophic levels within the same farming system. Organisms within the system, including finfish, shellfish and seaweeds, interact to recycle and reuse nutrients. IMTA requires minimal external inputs and simulates natural ecosystem processes, much like shrimp farming systems prior to the 1970s Blue Revolution.

If properly executed, IMTA shrimp farms in Bangladesh can produce multiple marketable seafood products, increase organism survival rate, increase biomass yield and reduce harmful nutrient concentrations in water. IMTA systems promote biodiversity by valuing production at multiple trophic levels. They relocate Bangladeshi shrimp farms from threatened mangrove forests to open-water environments like coastal rivers and estuaries. This discourages intensive, environmentally degrading shrimp farming practices, and the regrowth of mangrove forests contributes to carbon capture. All of these processes increase ecosystem resiliency, which bolsters the long-term sustainability of IMTA shrimp farms in Bangladesh.

In 1998, Bangladesh adopted a National Fisheries Policy. The policy recognizes the detrimental effects that shrimp farming has on the nation, and it seeks to optimize fishery resource use in order to encourage economic growth, feed the population, alleviate poverty and protect human and environmental health.  Widespread adoption of IMTA shrimp farms could be another step in the right direction for sustainable aquaculture in Bangladesh.

– Avery Saklad
Photo: FLickr