REGULATORY NEEDS FOR
SUSTAINABLE SHRIMP FARMING
P. RAVICHANDRAN
Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture &
Coastal Aquaculture Authority
AQUACULTURE GROWTH
Capture fisheries in 2012
Aquaculture production
- 181.8 million mt
- 90.4 million mt
(23.8 m mt of algae)
Fish for Human consumption
Aquaculture contribution
- 158 million mt
- 42.1%
- 66.6 million mt
Annual Growth rate 1990-2000 - 9.5%
2000-2012 - 6.2%
More than 90% of global aquaculture output is produced in
developing countries.
AQUACULTURE GROWTH
With Capture Fisheries production is stagnant
Aquaculture is expected to meet the ever increasing
Global food fish demand.
Increasing Volume of production, trade and consumption
Increasing demand for
Improved sustainability,
Social acceptability, and
Human health safety
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
‘The management and conservation of the natural resource
base and the orientation of technological and institutional
change in such a manner as to ensure the attainment and
continued satisfaction of human needs for present and
future generations’.
Such sustainable development
conserves land, water, plant and animal genetic resources,
environmentally non-degrading,
technically appropriate,
economically viable and
socially acceptable
Sustainability  key issues
1. Introduction of alien and/or genetically altered
organisms
2. Potential conflicts with other users of aquatic
resources
3. Food safety and aquatic animal health
4. Use of fish meal and fish oil
5. Environmental impact due to aquaculture farm
effluent
6. Conversion of other land categories for aquaculture.
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
Considering the concerns expressed on the long-term
sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture,
due to over-exploitation of important fish stocks,
damage to ecosystems,
economic losses, and
issues affecting fish trade,
FAO adopted on 31 October 1995, by consensus after a
series of meetings during 1991 – 1995, the Code of
Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF).
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
• Sets out principles and international standards of
behaviour for responsible practices for effective
conservation, management of living aquatic
resources
• Recognizes the nutritional, economic, social and
environmental and cultural importance of fisheries
and interests of all stakeholders
• Takes into account the biological characteristics of
the resources and their environments and
• The interests of consumers and other users
Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries
International Principles for Responsible farming of
specific candidate species
public and private sectors
Location specific Codes of Practice (COP), BMPs suitable for adoption by
farmers in particular social, economic and environmental contexts.
ARTICLE 9. AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
• AT NATIONAL LEVEL
– Development of legal and administrative frame work
– Evaluation of the impact of aquaculture on genetic
diversity and ecological integrity
– Ecologically sustainable and rational use of resources
– Should not affect livelihood of local communities and
their access to water front
– Environmental assessment and monitoring
– Co-operation with neighbouring countries in transboundary ecosystems – introduction of exotics
– Conservation of genetic diversity and maintaining
integrity of aquatic communities and ecosystems.
ARTICLE 9. AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
• AT NATIONAL LEVEL (contd…..)
– International code and practices for introduction
and transfer of aquatic organisms.
– To minimize risks of disease transfer to wild and
cultured stocks
– Development of culture techniques for
endangered species
ARTICLE 9. AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT
• AT PRODUCTION LEVEL
In support of rural communities, producer organizations and fish
farmers
– Promote active participation of fish farmers and their communities
– Promote effective farm and fish health management practices
– Safe, effective and minimal use of therapeutants, hormones and
drugs, antibiotics and other disease control chemicals should be
ensured.
– regulate the use of chemical inputs in aquaculture
– the disposal of wastes does not constitute a hazard to human
health and the environment
– ensure the food safety of aquaculture products
International principles for
Responsible shrimp farming
• Key issues identified
though consultation
• Development of an
internationally agreed
document
– Globally accepted
management principles
for “responsible” shrimp
aquaculture
– Guiding principles
– Key criteria
The 8 principles for responsible shrimp farming
1. Farm Siting
2. Farm Design
3. Water Use
4. Broodstock and postlarvae
5. Feed Management
6. Health Management
7. Food Safety
8. Social Responsibility
Principle 1: Farm Siting
Principle
Locate shrimp farms according to national planning and legal
frameworks in environmentally suitable locations, making
efficient use of land and water resources and in ways that
conserve biodiversity, ecologically sensitive habitats and
ecosystem functions, recognizing other land uses, and that other
people and species depend upon these same ecosystems.
Implementation guidance
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Build new shrimp farms above the inter-tidal zone.
No net loss of mangroves or other sensitive wetland
habitats.
Do not locate shrimp farms on sandy soils or other areas where
seepage or other areas where seepage or discharge of salt
water may affect agricultural land or freshwater supplies.
Do not locate new shrimp farms in areas that have already
reached carrying capacity for aquaculture
Retain buffer zones and habitat corridors between farms and
other users and habitats.
Obey land use and other planning laws and coastal
management plans.
Improve existing farms in inter-tidal and mangrove areas through
mangrove restoration, retiring unproductive ponds and
increasing productivity of remaining farm areas above the intertidal zone.
Principle 2: Farm Design
Principle
Design and construct shrimp farms in ways
that minimize environmental damage.
Implementation guidance
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Incorporate buffer areas and techniques and
engineering practices that minimize erosion
and salination of surrounding areas during
farm construction and operation.
Minimize disturbance of acid-sulphate soils
during construction and operation.
Conserve biodiversity and encourage reestablishment of natural habitats in farm
design
Minimize creation of degraded areas such as
unused soil piles and borrow pits.
Design dykes, canals and infrastructure in
ways that do not adversely affect hydrology.
Separate effluent discharge points from inlet
canal to reduce self pollution and maintain
bio-security.
Principle 3: Water Use
Principle
Minimize the impact of water use for
shrimp farming on water resources.
Implementation guidance
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No use of fresh groundwater for
salinity control.
Use water efficiently through minimizing
water abstraction
Minimize discharge of farm effluents and
sediment to the environment.
Aim to return water with lower
concentrations of nutrients, organic
matter and solids to the ecosystem than
that (in influent) taken out
Incorporate settlement and
sedimentation ponds into the water
inlet and outlet designs
Manage water and soil quality to
maintain suitable environmental
conditions in shrimp ponds
Obey national laws and guidelines on
water use and effluent discharge.
Principle 4:
Broodstock and Postlarvae
Principle
Where possible, use domesticated selected stocks of
disease free and/or resistant shrimp broodstock and
postlarvae to enhance bio-security, reduce disease
incidence and increase production, whilst reducing the
demand for wild stocks.
Implementation guidance
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Avoid negative impacts on biodiversity from collection of
wild caught broodstock or post-larvae
Give preference to local and indigenous shrimp species.
Adopt on-farm quarantine and bio-security measures to
reduce risks of disease introductions.
Use domesticated stocks wherever possible.
Stock good quality postlarvae to improve chances of
successful harvest.
Comply with national, regional and international criteria
controlling the movement and quarantine of animals.
Principle 5: Feed Management
Principle
Utilize feeds and feed management practices
that make efficient use of available feed
resources, promote efficient shrimp growth,
minimize production and discharge of wastes.
Implementation guidance
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Use good quality formulated feeds.
Make efficient use of shrimp feed resources.
Minimize shrimp feed wastage.
Principle 6: Health Management
Principle
Health management plans should be
adopted that aim to reduce stress,
minimize the risks of disease affecting
both the cultured and wild stocks, and
increase food safety.
Implementation guidance
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Implement health management practices that
reduce shrimp stress and focus on disease
prevention rather than treatment.
Maintain bio-security and minimize disease
transmission between broodstock, hatchery
and growout systems.
Implement management strategies that avoid
spreading shrimp diseases within and between
farms.
Use veterinary drugs responsibly and minimize
the use of antibiotics.
Principle 7: Food Safety
Principle
Ensure food safety and the quality of
shrimp products, whilst reducing the risks
to ecosystems and human health from
chemical use.
Implementation guidance
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No use of banned veterinary drugs and
chemicals
Be responsible in use of permitted
veterinary drugs and chemicals.
Apply quality control systems to produce
safe and quality shrimp farm products.
Implement measures for sanitary harvest,
handling and transport of shrimp.
Principle 8:
Social Benefits and equity
Principle
Develop and operate farms in a socially responsible
manner that benefits the farm, the local communities and
the country, and that contributes effectively to rural
development and particularly poverty alleviation in coastal
areas, without compromising the environment.
Implementation guidance
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Minimize conflicts with local communities that may result from
shrimp farm development and operation and ensure that
aquaculture developments are mutually beneficial.
Take measures to ensure shrimp farming benefits the
communities in shrimp farm areas.
Ensure shrimp farm worker welfare and fair working
conditions.
Minimize risks to smallholders engaged in shrimp farming
through training, extension and appropriate technical and
financial support
Provide training to farmers and workers in responsible shrimp
farming practices.
Risks of introduction of L. vannamei
• Health Risk - Introduction of exotic viruses which might
affect the native shrimp species
• Ecological risk of escape into natural environment and
establishment thereby affecting the biodiversity
• Environmental risk - Globally L. vannamei culture is
practiced in intensive systems which will lead to high
nutrient loading in the system. To avoid such a loading
highly technical and capital intensive recirculation
systems/ Zero-water exchange system should be followed.
• Social risk - Social unrest is bound to result if high
investors enter in the field and disturb the traditional and
improved traditional system of farming that are being
practiced by the small farmers
• Market risk - Globally the supply level will increase and
result in further reduction in prices and we have to compete
with established players in the field.
Health Risks
Sl. No.
L. vannamei
Disease
Reported in
India
1
Taura syndrome (TS)
2
White spot disease (WSD)
3
Yellowhead disease (YHD)
4
Tetrahedral baculovirosis (BP)
5
Spherical baculovirosis (MBV)
6
Infectious
hypodermal
haematopoietic necrosis (IHHN)
9
Lymphoid Organ Vacuolization virus
X
10
Reo like Viruses (REO)
X
11
Necrotising Hepatopancreatitis (NHP)
(Bacterial disease)
X
X
X
X
and
Guidelines for mitigation of Health Risks
• Shortlisting of the SPF Vannamei suppliers based on their genetic
selection programme and the level of pathogen exclusion of SPF
facility.
• Legal empowerment under Livestock importation Act, 1898.
• Chennai as the legal point of entry for the present.
Importation through centralized quarantine
– Establishment of Aquatic Quarantine in Chennai
– Strict Pre-quarantine and Qurantine protocol to be notified under the
Act and regulated by the Animal Quarantine Officer of AQ & CS of
Ministry of Agriculture
– Import permit to be issued to limited number of hatcheries based on
the seed requirements and the biosecurity facilities.
Guidelines for the mitigation of Ecological Risks
No direct release of wastewater from
Quarantine, Hatcheries and Farms
permitted.
• Effluent treatment system is mandatory
for all the three stages.
• Effluent treatment to include complete
cholorination and dechlorination during
quarantine and hatchery stages to
prevent the escape of smaller larvae and
also the pathogens.
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Guidelines for preventing use of non-SPF stock
• There is a possibility of producing vannamei seed from
pond grown stock. This will lead to disease outbreaks
and also poor growth due to inbreeding. The following
guidelines are important for avoiding this.
– Only hatcheries and farms registered with CAA will be
permitted to import and culture L. vannamei.
– A separate permission should be obtained for the purpose
from CAA
– Hatcheries can sell seed only to farmers who have been
permitted
– Farmers should buy only from hatcheries permitted to rear
vannamei seed
– Processors should buy L. vannamei only from farmers
permitted to culture vannamei
– A movement document will be maintained which should
contain the copies of the permission granted to the source
hatchery, the farm where it was cultured and the processor
who is exporting.
Guidelines for mitigating Environmental Risks
• Stocking density of up to 60 no/m2 permitted
• Strict compliance to waste water standards prescribed by CAA
• Effluent Treatment System mandatory for all the farms culturing
L. vannamei irrespective of the size of the farm and at no time
water should be directly released into the open source water.
• Regular inspection of the farms with the collection of samples of
waste water will be done by a committee constituted for the
purpose by CAA with State Fisheries Departments taking active
role
• Guidelines for L. vannamei rearing in hatchery and farm is to be
notified under the Coastal Aquaculture Act, 2005 and will be
governed by the Authority with co-operation from the State
Fisheries Departments
PRESENT SCENARIO
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Production levels are increasing with increase in farming area.
Disease problem is persisting with WSSV and IHHNV outbreaks
Lack of biosecurity
Total disregard of pond preparation methods
Global prices which were very good is coming down
The sector has to protect itself from the fly-by-night operators
who are mushrooming due to the high profitability experienced
during the last year
• The concern is whatever happens, the person who will be
affected seriously is the small farmer.
• The farmers need to understand the importance of selecting the
good quality seed from a reputed hatchery rather than buying
cheap seed.
HOW TO SUSTAIN THE PRODUCTION LEVELS
• FARMERS SHOULD AVOID STOCKING ANY SEED – EVEN IF THERE
IS A DELAY IN STOCKING THEY SHOULD WAIT FOR THE GOOD
QUALITY SEED FROM A GOOD HATCHERY
• FARMERS SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON BIOSECURITY TO AVOID
PATHOGEN INTRODUCTION
• FARMERS SHOULD FOLLOW SET PRINCIPLES OF POND
PREPARATION – WATER AND SOIL QUALITY MANAGEMENT
• GROUP FARMING IS ESSENTIAL IN AREAS WHERE THE FARMS ARE
LOCATED IN VERY CLOSE QUARTERS
• THE WHOLE SECTOR WILL BE SUSTAINABLE ONLY WHEN THE
FARMER HAS SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND PROFITABILITY