Hey seafood lovers! As someone who’s spent years researching and writing about sustainable seafood, I’ve noticed that shrimp sustainability is one of the hottest topics in our industry. With shrimp being America’s #1 seafood (we eat about 5.9 pounds per person yearly!), it’s crucial to understand what’s really going on with these little crustaceans.
The Quick Answer
The sustainability of shrimp depends on how and where they’re sourced
- U.S. wild-caught shrimp: Generally sustainable
- Farmed shrimp: Varies widely by country and farming method
- Imported wild-caught: Usually less sustainable
Wild-Caught Shrimp: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
U.S. Wild-Caught Shrimp
Let’s start with some good news! US, wild-caught shrimp is actually pretty sustainable Here’s why
- Strong management practices
- Required use of:
- Turtle excluder devices (TEDs)
- Bycatch reduction devices
- Regular population monitoring
- Protected habitat areas
The main U.S. species are:
- White shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus)
- Brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus)
- Pink shrimp
- Oregon ocean shrimp
The Bycatch Challenge
Here’s the not-so-great part – even the best-managed wild shrimp fisheries struggle with bycatch. For example, the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery has a discard-to-landings ratio of 4.6 to 1. Yikes! That means for every pound of shrimp caught about 4.6 pounds of other sea creatures are accidentally caught too.
Farmed Shrimp: A Complex Picture
The Good News
- Provides 8 million metric tons annually (way more than wild-caught!)
- Some farms are getting eco-certified (ASC, BAP, or Fair Trade)
- New farming methods like silvoculture are more sustainable
- Ecuador’s farming practices are leading the way in sustainability
The Challenges
-
Mangrove Destruction: About 40% of global mangrove habitat has been lost, mainly due to shrimp farming.
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Antibiotic Use: Still a problem in some countries, especially in Southeast Asia.
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Production by Country Quality Varies:
- Ecuador: Generally good practices
- India: Mixed practices (but largest U.S. supplier)
- Vietnam: Improving with new methods
- China: Often uses banned antibiotics
How to Buy Sustainable Shrimp
At the Grocery Store
- Look for these certifications:
- ASC logo
- BAP logo (4 stars preferred)
- MSC certification (for wild-caught)
- Check origin:
- U.S. wild-caught is usually a safe bet
- Ecuador farmed shrimp is generally good
- Be cautious with unlabeled thawed shrimp at seafood counters
Pro Tips
- Frozen isn’t bad! Often it’s frozen right on the boat
- Fresh U.S. shrimp is awesome when in season (but rare)
- Avoid thawed imported shrimp without certification info
The Future of Shrimp Sustainability
Things are looking both promising and challenging. U.S. wild shrimp fishers are struggling with cheap imports, but sustainability practices are improving globally. The market’s projected to grow 6.72% annually through 2028, reaching $69.35 billion.
My Take
As someone who follows this industry closely, I’d say eat shrimp in moderation and make informed choices. U.S. wild-caught or certified farmed shrimp are your best bets. And hey, maybe mix it up with other sustainable seafood options sometimes!
Final Thoughts
While no shrimp production method is perfect, we’re seeing improvements. By choosing sustainable options, we can enjoy our shrimp cocktails while helping ensure there’ll be plenty of shrimp for future generations.
Would you like me to explain more about any part of shrimp sustainability? Drop a comment below!
#SustainableSeafood #Shrimp #OceanConservation #Seafood
U.S. Shrimp Fisheries and Bycatch Image
There are multiple shapes and designs of TEDs, with new ones being developed each year. In order for TEDs to be approved for use by NOAA, and to ensure minimal sea turtle mortality, they must be tested. Photo: NOAA Fisheries/Dan Foster
The information scientists gather about the health of shrimp populations is also used to inform science-based management and regulatory decisions. U.S. shrimp fisheries are required to use bycatch reduction devices and turtle excluder devices to prevent turtles and other non-target species from being captured in shrimp trawl nets. Gear restrictions are also in place to protect bottom habitat from trawl gear. Fishermen do not trawl in areas with coral reefs and other known areas of high relief. Specific areas are also closed to trawling to protect habitats of particular concern. Due to these regulations and practices, which have been in place for decades, the bycatch and impacts to habitats in U.S. shrimp fisheries haves substantially decreased. NOAA gear technologists continue to work with industry to evaluate and authorize new, more effective designs.
The shrimp fishery is also subject to commercial reporting requirements to track their catch, as well as fishery observer coverage to verify catch and bycatch data. Scientists use these data in stock assessments to better manage shrimp and other fisheries. This information is also essential for meeting sea turtle conservation requirements.
What Makes Wild-Caught Shrimp Sustainable?
United States fisheries are among the largest and most sustainable in the world, thanks to strong science and a dynamic management process. Sustainable seafood is fish, shellfish, and seaweeds harvested or farmed in ways that protect the long-term health of species populations and ecosystems. Wild-caught U.S. shrimp is no exception. It’s a smart seafood choice due to its sustainable management and responsible harvest practices under NOAA Fisheries regulations.
Shrimp boats on their way to the dock off North Carolina. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Jesse Wicker
Most U.S. shrimp are caught in the Southeast from Texas to North Carolina. Three species—white shrimp, pink shrimp, and brown shrimp—make up the vast majority of the shrimp caught. Together, they are one of the most valuable fisheries in the region. The life history of shrimp makes them resilient to overfishing. They are short-lived, fast-growing crustaceans—often reaching 7 to 8 inches in length within 2 years. They rapidly reproduce—typically when they reach 5 inches in length—and are often referred to as an “annual crop.”
NOAA Fisheries monitors the trends in the shrimp populations and conducts stock assessments to determine how the stock is doing. We use data from fishery-independent surveys and landings data to estimate maximum sustainable yield—a metric that ensures sustainable population levels while maximizing landings. We also evaluate management options to increase economic benefits to the shrimp fishery. In some cases, we implement temporary closures to protect these species during their annual offshore migration and allow them to reach a larger, more valuable size. Scientists are currently working on a Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review benchmark assessment for Gulf of Mexico white, pink, and brown shrimp.
Can Shrimp Farming be Made Healthier and Sustainable? | Hope in the Water
FAQ
Is it sustainable to eat shrimp?
Shrimp farming is slowly killing its ecosystem. A shrimp farm is so toxic that it can only survive so many years before it needs to be moved, leaving wastelands in its tracks. It contaminates soils and water with chemicals and ruins coastal lowlands, causing fish populations to plummet.
How ethical is eating shrimp?
Unfortunately, shrimp are one of the worst types of seafood, in terms of both animal rights (because of high levels of bycatch) and human rights (the shrimping industry has some of the highest rates of human slavery out of all foods).
What seafood is not sustainable?
- Most imported shrimp (non-U.S.)
- Atlantic salmon from Canada, Chile, Norway, or Scotland.
- Bluefin tuna or any tuna caught in the Indian Ocean.
- Orange roughy.
- Sharks.
- Eel.
- Chilean sea bass.
- Atlantic halibut.
Is shrimp fishing ethical?
Despite their small size, shrimp carry some major ethical baggage that includes the destruction of critical environmental features as well as horrific human rights abuses and chilling acts of animal cruelty.
Is shrimp sustainable?
When it comes to sustainability, though, shrimp is complicated. A recent investigation of India’s farmed shrimp industry, which according to the report supplies 40% of the shrimp we eat in the U.S., found rampant environmental abuse, from polluted water and farmland to ravaged mangroves.
Is shrimp rated Red sustainable?
Shrimp rated red by Seafood Watch is not environmentally sustainable. For wild shrimp, it means the fishery catches shrimp from an overexploited population, bycatch of other marine life is a significant problem, fishery management is ineffective, or a combination of these issues.
Is Blue Apron shrimp sustainable?
The shrimp is also sustainable: As a partner of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, Blue Apron avoids seafood that’s produced in ways that harm other marine life or the environment. Carrie Conley of Fort Irwin, California, says she chose Blue Apron because of its partnership with Seafood Watch.